


Attending To The Devil

by Aeshna_cyanea



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Feelings, First Meetings, Fluff, Heterosexual Sex, Smut, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 20:32:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13302654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeshna_cyanea/pseuds/Aeshna_cyanea
Summary: The first meeting between Lucifer and Maze, back in Hell.





	Attending To The Devil

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PixelByPixel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixelByPixel/gifts), [autumnstar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnstar/gifts).



Lucifer was in a black mood when he entered the small anteroom of his private bath and shed his clothing. The day had been trying, the various demons and damned souls he had been forced to interact with all particularly irritating. It had started in the morning with his bath attendant, a singularly stupid and incompetent creature. After suffering his incompetence for weeks, Lucifer had finally lost his temper and given the demon the dressing down he so richly deserved. And now he would have to deal with the idiot once again.  
  
Of all the small, everyday aspects of being forced to rule Hell that he hated, this twice daily ritual was the undisputed number one. Hell's constant ash fall, heat, and various noxious vapors made frequent bathing an absolute necessity. And that, unfortunately, required the help of an assistant. Because while Lucifer was perfectly capable of washing his body himself, his wings were another matter.  
  
Stupid, cursed appendages. Constant reminders of his father. Here in Hell, they were useless, except as a symbol of his status as God's fallen son. He couldn't even fly here, not with all that ash in the air. Unfortunately, keeping them permanently tucked away had proved impossible. After a while, the urge to unfurl them simply became too strong. And though he hated to admit it, keeping them visible was also necessary to keep his demonic subjects in line, reminding them just who and what he was, and what power he wielded.  
  
But the environmental conditions were hard on the wings, the heat and fumes from Hell's fires making the feathers brittle, the ash getting everywhere, chafing and irritating the sensitive skin. It took thorough washing and grooming to keep them well maintained, a task that required a skillful, delicate touch. Back in Heaven, he and his siblings had assisted each other, and even there he had always found the procedure somewhat unpleasant. Unfortunately, the only available assistants down here were demons, and none of them had the least bit of skillfulness or knew anything about being delicate.  
  
After several futile attempts to take care of the matter on his own, Lucifer had quickly run through an impressively long series of bath attendants. Their ministrations always ranged from highly uncomfortable to actively painful. None of them had lasted long in the job, and he was well aware that by now, the position of bath attendant to the King of Hell was seen as a punishment among his servants.  
  
The toadies and sycophants had quickly realized that the direct access to him which the position provided came at the price of a thankless job with a high risk of incurring the wrath of the Devil. And since he was rarely in the mood to listen to his attendant's inane conversation, even the direct access brought no advantage that could outweigh the negatives.  
  
Having divested himself of his clothes, he stepped through the doors into the bathroom. It was a relatively simple room. Most of it was just free space, the stone floor covered with a wooden lattice that allowed the water to drain away. Along the left wall, there were large vats holding hot and cold water, as well as a slightly smaller vat where they could be mixed to get the right temperature. They were set into a long counter that ran the whole length of the room. On it were various accoutrements necessary to the task of cleaning and grooming him. Ladles, bowls, and pitchers for mixing and pouring the water, sponges, brushes, towels, etc.  
  
Lucifer paused when he saw that the demon awaiting him was not his accustomed bath assistant. He let his eyes wander over her naked body - his bath attendant was not allowed to wear any clothing, a security measure he'd been forced to take after several attempts had been made to assassinate him in his bath - taking in her appearance.  
  
Her form was that of a human female, slender, well shaped, with flawless bronze skin and dark hair that fell down to her chest, almost but not quite long enough to cover her breasts. Beautiful by human standards, not that this meant anything to the Lord of Hell.  
  
From his position at the door, Lucifer could only see her profile as she was standing in front of the counter that ran along the left side of the room. As he studied her face, he found something intriguing about it. Some little irregularities that roused his curiosity.  
  
Taking several steps forward to get a better view, Lucifer had to hold back a gasp of surprise as the left side of her face was revealed to him. Stunning. Absolutely beautiful. In stark contrast to the right side, the left half of the demon's face was corpse-like. No skin covered the features. The flesh was partly gone as well, the exposed tendons and the remaining muscles appearing rotten, weathered and desiccated, as though they had lain exposed to a hot desert sun for a while. A row of pale teeth were visible even though her mouth was closed. The left eye lay deep in its socket, lidless, milky white.  
  
Lucifer had never seen anything as beautiful as the face of the creature before him. The sharp contrast between left and right served only to enhance the overall beauty, a perfect balance. The underlying bone structure was exquisite in its symmetry and proportions, uniting the two disparate sides. This - she - was a living work of art.  
  
Throughout his careful study of her, the demon had remained perfectly still. She was standing about a foot in front of the counter, her posture straight but not stiff, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. Her gaze was lowered respectfully, but her head was not bowed. Lucifer knew she had to be waiting for his reaction to her presence, and if his other servants had acted true to form, she should be feeling some anxiety about what exactly this reaction would be.  
  
And yet nothing about her suggested the least hint of nervousness or tension. Her breathing was slow and calm, the pulse he could see beating at her throat steady and unhurried. Most new bath attendants had shown signs of their nervousness at meeting him for the first time, and often every time after that as well. She did not. Her demeanor was at once relaxed and alert. Not an easy feat under any circumstances, and certainly not in this situation. Lucifer was quite frankly impressed. So far, she was a marked improvement over her predecessor. He wondered if she would manage to be better at her assigned task as well.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The demon showed no surprise at being addressed so abruptly. She kept her gaze lowered respectfully as she answered, "Mazikeen, my Lord."  
  
Lucifer waited a moment, but she remained silent. Another point in her favor. Most of her predecessors had had a tendency to babble, explaining the self-evident reason for their presence and either bragging about their skills or obsequiously proclaiming their loyalty and gratitude for being given this position. He greatly disliked both.  
  
"So, Ersitor has managed to foist the duties of bath attendant off on you?" He chuckled. "Proof of his cowardice, but also a sign that he has some sense of self-preservation. Very well. Attend me."  
  
He stepped into his usual spot in the middle of the room and spread his wings slightly, waiting to see what she would do.  
  
"Yes, my Lord."  
  
Mazikeen turned to the counter, picked up a small bowl, and filled it with water from the mixing vat. Carrying the full bowl carefully in both hands, she approached him. Lucifer's brows drew together in confusion when she held the bowl out to him.  
  
"If you would care to test whether the temperature of the water is to your liking, my Lord?"  
  
The Devil's eyebrows shot up in surprise at this request. None of his previous attendants had ever thought to do this. They had simply used whatever temperature they considered acceptable, and he had had to chastise them for using water that was either too cold or too hot.  
  
Dipping his fingers into the bowl, he found that the temperature was exactly how he liked it. Mazikeen had managed to get it right on the first try. Once again, he was impressed.  
  
"Perfect. Proceed, Mazikeen."  
  
The normal procedure was for the bath attendant to first pour water over Lucifer's body and wings to wash off loose ash and other dirt, then soap him up with a cloth or sponge. This included soaping and cleaning the wings, which was always an unpleasant experience for the Devil. After that, more pouring of clear water to rinse off the soap. Lucifer would then shake out his wings, and then the attendant was required to groom them, righting feathers which had become twisted, smoothing out barbs, and if necessary dealing with damaged feathers.  
  
As Mazikeen filled one of the pitchers, Lucifer realized that she would have trouble with the first step of the procedure. The demon was about a head shorter than him. Reaching up high enough to pour the water over his head would be practically impossible for her.  
  
There were two solutions to this problem. She could go and fetch a stool or something similar to stand on. But this would mean leaving him standing here, waiting. One did not keep the Lord of Hell waiting, especially if one was a servant. If she did this, he would reprimand and perhaps punish her for it, depending on how long she kept him waiting.  
  
The alternative was for her to ask him to bow down so she could pour the water over him. This would be a serious breach of etiquette. The Lord of Hell bowed to no one. Asking him to do so was a grave insult, and would result in punishment.  
  
He wondered which of the two solutions to her problem she would choose.  
  
Carrying the pitcher in her hands, the demon stepped around him until she was standing right behind him. Then she paused. The corners of Lucifer's mouth twitched with a hint of a smirk. It seemed she had finally realized her dilemma. He waited eagerly to see what she would choose to do.  
  
After only a few seconds, Mazikeen spoke: "My Lord, if you would please tilt your head back a bit?"  
  
Lucifer opened his mouth to hotly deny her suggestion, then stopped himself when he realized that she had not in fact asked him to bow. Surprised and intrigued, he followed her suggestion. As soon as he had done so, he felt Mazikeen step up close behind him, so close he was sure she would end up with her body touching his. That would be a breach of the rules. Nobody was allowed to touch the Lord of Hell without his permission. Bath attendants were allowed to touch him with their hands, but no other body parts.  
  
But the demon didn't touch him. She managed to maintain a careful distance. Only an inch, perhaps, but enough to not break the rule. She was taking quite a risk there. It would only take the slightest movement from either of them to make their bodies come into contact, with potentially dire consequences for her.  
  
A thin stream of deliciously warm water hit the top of his head, and it took all of Lucifer's self control not to flinch and gasp in surprise. He had been too absorbed by his contemplations of her nearness to notice that Mazikeen had lifted the pitcher.  
  
Once again, he found himself impressed with the demon. To reach up high enough to pour the water over his head, she had to be standing on tiptoe, arms outstretched to lift the large pitcher high enough. Her strength, balance and control over her body had to be excellent, because she still maintained the careful distance between herself and him.  
  
The stream of water from the pitcher increased slightly until it was a nice, steady flow. Mazikeen was pouring carefully, directing the water so that it washed over the top, sides and back of his head, without any of it running down over his face. Yet another improvement over the treatment he had received from his previous bath attendants. If she showed the same combination of skill and consideration when handling his wings, then she might make this chore merely uncomfortable instead of actively painful. Lucifer certainly hoped so.  
  
When the pitcher was empty, Mazikeen returned to the counter. But instead of refilling it, she set it aside and filled a bowl with water.  
  
"Would you like me to use a cloth or a sponge to wet your face, my Lord?"  
  
Lucifer hesitated for a moment. His gaze drifted to the implements on the counter, and he noticed that the cloths lying there appeared to be a much better quality than the usual coarse linen his previous bath attendants had used. Interesting.  
  
"A cloth, please."  
  
He surprised himself with this display of politeness. Usually he didn't bother being polite to servants, especially to his bath attendants. But Mazikeen was different. She had managed to surprise him several times already. That intrigued him, and earned her a certain measure of his respect.  
  
The demon picked up one of the pieces of cloth lying ready on the counter and turned towards him. Carrying the bowl in one hand she approached him, carefully wetting the cloth and squeezing out excess water with the other hand. Reaching up slowly so he had time to anticipate her touch, Mazikeen gently ran the wet cloth across his forehead.  
  
The warmth of the water and the softness of the cloth felt great. The demon's touch was light and gentle. Without him consciously deciding to do so, Lucifer closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. A small sigh escaped him and he began to relax.  
  
Mazikeen took her time, running the cloth over his face again and again, rinsing it out regularly as she carefully but thoroughly wetted every plane and fold. Forehead, temples, eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, chin, throat and ears all were wiped repeatedly, with gentle touches that felt like caresses.  
  
When she finally stepped back to refill the pitcher and resume pouring water over his body, Lucifer experienced a momentary pang of disappointment that she had stopped her tender ministrations.  
  
Continuing in her task, she poured warm water over his shoulders and chest, occasionally using one hand to direct the flow. Next, she gently touched his right wrist and lifted his arm, pouring water over it until the pitcher was empty. When she returned after refilling it, Lucifer lifted his other arm, holding it out to her.  
  
Mazikeen looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time. She lowered her eyes again immediately, bowing her head briefly.  
  
"Thank you, my Lord."  
  
Her mouth was curved up just barely in a hint of a smile. Lucifer found himself smiling in return.  
  
Mazikeen thoroughly wetted his arm, and then turned her attention to his stomach and the lower regions of his body. Carefully directing the flow of the water with her hand, she made sure every part of him was sluiced down.  
  
Once she was finished with his front, the demon turned her attention to his back and his wings. First, she poured water on the back of his neck and his shoulders, letting it run down around the bases of his wings. She then worked her way lower, wetting his behind and the backs of his legs.  
  
Finally, Mazikeen began wetting his wings. Starting at the base of the left wing, she carefully poured water over the feathers, using her hand to break up the stream so it didn't hit with full force. Lucifer stretched out his wings to their full length and let them droop, making Mazikeen's task easier. As before, she thanked him for this cooperation, and he found himself smiling.  
  
After sluicing down both wings, the demon refilled the pitcher and returned to her position behind the Devil. There, she paused for a second. Just as Lucifer was beginning to wonder what she was waiting for, Mazikeen spoke up.  
  
"My Lord, would it be possible for you to make your feathers stand up, and perhaps tilt your wings slightly?"  
  
Lucifer's eyebrows rose in surprise. What was the demon planning? Wordlessly, he followed her suggestions, twisting his wings slightly so their surface was roughly at a 60 degree angle, and making the feathers stand up. As soon as Mazikeen began pouring, he felt the difference.  
  
Before, the water had simply run over the surface of the wings. Now it was penetrating between the feathers, right down to the sensitive skin. He could feel tiny rivulets running around the bases of his feathers, washing away the grains of ash that had wormed themselves in there in the course of the day.  
  
The relief when those small irritants were removed was profound, and Lucifer found himself sighing deeply.  
  
Mazikeen took her time, working carefully and thoroughly, refilling the pitcher several times before she was finished with the left wing and turned to the right one. There, she repeated the process. When she was finished, she returned to the counter and refilled the pitcher. Turning around, she stopped and studied Lucifer intently.  
  
The corners of the Devil's mouth curved up in a smirk and he raised an eyebrow as the demon's gaze traveled over his body.  
  
"See something you like?"  
  
To his secret delight, Mazikeen started slightly, her eyes briefly meeting his before she lowered them again.  
  
"Forgive me, my Lord. I was just wondering how best to handle the undersides of your wings."  
  
The smirk widened into a grin as Lucifer pulled his wings back until they were almost touching, then tilted them so the lower edges were facing out at an angle and brought them forward again. As a finishing touch, he tensed the tiny skin muscles and made the feathers stand up.  
  
A soft smile spread across Mazikeen's face and her gaze briefly flickered up to meet his.  
  
"Perfect. Thank you, my Lord."  
  
Without hesitation she stepped forward and began sluicing down the undersides of his wings.  
  
As Lucifer relaxed and enjoyed the relief of having the ash removed from between his feathers, he covertly studied the demon. She had managed to surprise and impress him at every turn so far, and he had high hopes that her combination of skill and thoughtfulness would continue to make this tedious procedure bearable.  
  
But it wasn't just her impressive handling of the tasks of a bath attendant that roused the Devil's interest. There was something about her, something different from other demons. It intrigued him, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was.  
  
He looked at Mazikeen out of the corner of his eye, watching her as she worked. She was focused on her work, calm and self-assured. Once again, Lucifer was impressed by the fact that she showed no nervousness around him. In a sudden flash of insight, he realized why: she was not scared of him.  
  
That was what made her different. All the other demons, every last one of them, were afraid of him. Some showed it openly, others hid it behind various masks; worship, awe, adoration, fawning sycophancy, carefully neutral distance, disdain, revulsion, open hatred. It didn't matter. Deep down inside, they were all terrified of him. And they hated him for it.  
  
Mazikeen wasn't scared of him. And unless she was extremely good at hiding her true feelings, she didn't hate him, either. This made her unique among the denizens of Hell, and fascinating. Lucifer found himself wanting to study this marvelous creature more deeply and find out why she was so different.  
  
Well, he would certainly have the opportunity to get to know her better. He was already determined to keep her as his bath attendant, since her performance so far had been leagues better than any of her predecessors. And he had little doubt that she would continue to excel at the rest of her tasks. There was no need to rush things. For now, he was content to let her work in peace and do his best to enjoy her ministrations.  
  
Having finished wetting Lucifer's body and wings, Mazikeen returned to the counter. Instead of taking the piece of soap lying there however, she filled a bowl with warm water. Lucifer watched in confusion as she picked up a glass vial which contained a pale golden liquid, and poured a healthy amount into the water. Immediately, a pleasant scent rose up, herbal, with undertones of resins and something warm and spicy. The Devil inhaled deeply, testing the fragrance and finding it very much to his liking.  
  
"That's not the usual soap."  
  
Mazikeen nodded. "No, my Lord."  
  
Lucifer waited a few seconds for an explanation before realizing that none was forthcoming. His gaze sharpened. Was this demon insolent enough to try to force the Lord of Hell to ask for information? He studied her carefully, but there was not the smallest sign that this was a deliberate provocation.  
  
Mazikeen had taken a sponge, immersed it in the scented water, and was now squeezing it repeatedly, working up a lather. Her posture continued to be relaxed, her countenance calm. Nothing about it seemed forced, or showed any awareness that her short answer could possibly be anything other than a dutiful servant following the rules that stated she should only speak the minimum amount necessary to perform her task.  
  
And yet, despite its seeming naturalness, or maybe because of it, Lucifer was almost certain that this servile demeanor was a careful facade. A creature who did not fear the Lord of Hell couldn't possibly be so meek and mild. He hesitated for a moment, curiosity warring with pride. Before he could decide whether or not to ask about the change in soaps, Mazikeen seemed to sense his scrutiny.  
  
"Would you prefer me to use the usual soap, my Lord?"  
  
"No!" The reply came out sharper than Lucifer had intended. Mazikeen did not flinch, but he fancied that she froze for a split second. Feeling unexpectedly chagrined about it, he did his best to show her that he was not angry.  
  
"This new stuff smells much nicer than the old soap." His curiosity won out. "Where did it come from?"  
  
"It is my personal soap, my Lord."  
  
Lucifer's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. This demon had better soap than the King of Hell. There was only one possible way this could be.  
  
"You made this soap yourself?"  
  
"Yes, my Lord."  
  
Was there a hint of pride in her tone? If so, it was well deserved. Lucifer found himself impressed with her yet again. Not only was she the best bath attendant he had ever had, the fact that she had created her own soap demonstrated resourcefulness - getting the necessary ingredients in Hell was no easy task - and a surprising talent at composing scents. Not to mention good taste and a certain level of fastidiousness and care about her personal hygiene. All qualities he approved of wholeheartedly.  
  
Lucifer smiled wryly. The fact that she had created her own soap while he had accepted the inferior product the other demons produced seemed to indicate that her standards for personal cosmetics were higher than his own. And he prided himself on his appearance, and an insistence on having the best. In his defense, he could only say that dealing with the other demons was aggravating, and patience had never been one of his virtues.  
  
Seeing his expression, Mazikeen gave him a questioning look. Lucifer shook his head, his smile becoming more genuine.  
  
"Never mind. Please proceed, Mazikeen."  
  
"Do you wish to have your face washed with soap, my Lord?"  
  
Lucifer hesitated for a moment, then declined the offer. "No, thank you."  
  
He barely stopped himself from explaining his decision, then mentally chastised himself. The Lord of Hell did not explain himself to anyone, and especially not to a servant. No matter how often she impressed him, and how fascinating she was.  
  
Meanwhile, Mazikeen had stepped up to him and begun to soap up his body. She started at his neck, gently brushing the soapy sponge over the sensitive skin of his throat. The sides of his neck received the same treatment. Then she followed his collarbone to his left shoulder, rubbing lightly in tight little circles.  
  
Without being prompted, Lucifer stretched out the arm, once again earning a thank you from the demon. She worked her way down from his shoulder to his hand, cleaning him gently but thoroughly. When she reached his fingers, she set the bowl down on the floor, took hold of his hand with her free one, and carefully sponged down each finger.  
  
A small frown appeared on her face as she scrutinized his fingertips. Before he had time to wonder what it was about, she abandoned the hand briefly to fetch a small brush from the counter. The demon then proceeded to use this to clean his fingernails, deftly brushing the dirt out of the grooves and from beneath the nails. Once she was done, she picked up the sponge again and wiped down the hand one more time before turning to his other arm and repeating the procedure there.  
  
Next, she began working her way down his torso. Lucifer took the opportunity provided by being practically face to face with this fascinating creature to study her features more thoroughly. She really was a marvel, a true work of art. The most exquisite specimen of Hellish beauty he had ever seen.  
  
As Mazikeen continued to soap and clean first his upper chest and then his stomach, she showed no reaction as the gruesome scars and exposed muscles slowly gave way to skin. The injuries from his fall were most severe on his head, neck, shoulders and arms. His lower legs and feet had also suffered severe scarring, but his torso had been protected by his clothing, and at his front, the area from his stomach to his thighs was practically unblemished.  
  
The demon paid no undue attention to this change, treating both the mangled flesh and the intact one with the same gentle thoroughness. Other bath attendants in the past had not been able to hide their disgust at his physical appearance. Lucifer was relieved that Mazikeen did not seem to mind.  
  
The demon knelt down as she reached his lower abdomen. She carefully cleaned his navel, sponged down the area beneath it, and then turned her attention to his groin. Lucifer tensed slightly as she lifted the sponge. His previous attendants had usually just scrubbed none too gently all over his genitals, or awkwardly dabbed at them. Neither had been a pleasant experience.  
  
Mazikeen of course did not follow either procedure. Instead, she gently took his penis in her hand and ran the sponge over it lightly. The tension drained from the Devil. This felt good. He briefly tried to remember if he had ever had anyone but himself touch his genitals like that, but nothing came to mind. Then he had to bite back a gasp as the demon carefully pulled back his foreskin and cleaned the head of his penis.  
  
Until this moment, her ministrations had been pleasurable in an entirely non-sexual way. But now he felt a spark of something more carnal shoot through him. It startled Lucifer considerably. He had never felt anything like it when being touched by another creature, and certainly never with a demon. His eyes were wide as he looked down at Mazikeen, who continued her work, oblivious to the emotional turmoil she had just caused.  
  
After thoroughly cleaning the Devil's penis, she did the same to his testicles, cupping them gently with her free hand as she ran the soapy sponge over them. When they were cleaned to her satisfaction, she washed the sensitive skin immediately around his genitals, and then moved on to his thighs.  
  
Starting with the left one, she worked her way down the leg, cleaning it all around, until she reached the foot. There she paused for a moment and then looked up at him. Lucifer hastily schooled his face into an expression of mild curiosity.  
  
"My Lord, could you please lift your foot?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
He complied with the request, using his wings to help maintain his balance. Seeing this, Mazikeen shifted until she was on one knee, raising the other to serve as a footrest. However, she did not guide his foot onto her knee. Lucifer wondered about this omission before realizing that doing so could be construed as a breach of the no touching rule.  
  
"Thank you, Mazikeen."  
  
He smiled down at her as he gently placed his foot on her knee. His weight remained firmly on the other leg, but even lightly resting his foot helped him keep his balance. The demon briefly returned his smile.  
  
"You're welcome, my Lord."  
  
She resumed her work, gently washing his foot, using the small brush to clean his toenails. When she was done she leaned back, and he lifted his foot and placed it back on the ground without having to be prompted. Mazikeen then turned her attention to his right leg and gave it the same treatment. As soon as she reached the foot, he placed it on her knee, once again earning a thank you from the demon.  
  
After cleaning his right foot, Mazikeen rose and returned to the counter, where she exchanged the sponge for a new one and quickly rinsed out the bowl before refilling it with water and another generous measure of her liquid soap. She then stepped around him and once again asked him to tilt back his head. As soon as he did, she gently washed the top, sides, and back of his head, taking care that none of the soapy lather ran down over his face.  
  
Lucifer sighed contentedly, thoroughly enjoying the treatment he was receiving. But as Mazikeen gradually moved from his head down to his back and the roots of his wings, he found himself tensing up involuntarily. The demon gave no sign of noticing the change. She continued cleaning his back, working at the same pace she had kept throughout.  
  
Mazikeen gently washed the skin around the bases of his wings, carefully holding back the feathers that hung down his back. So far, her ministrations were not causing the Devil any discomfort. Quite the opposite, really. Still, Lucifer tried not to let his hopes rise too much. In all his existence, having his wings cleaned had never been a pleasant experience. At best, it had been awkward and somewhat uncomfortable. He didn't want to think about the worse cases.  
  
Trying to distract himself, he turned his thoughts to the intriguing creature who was currently running the sponge over the skin directly below the base of his right wing while carefully holding back the long feathers that extended downward. Lucifer's brows creased in a frown. Just how was she doing that anyway? She should be holding the bowl in one hand and the sponge in the other. He knew she hadn't set the bowl down on the floor. So where had she put it? There was no table or stool anywhere within reach. She had to be holding it somewhere other than in her hands.  
  
While he was pondering the logistics of such a feat, Mazikeen had worked her way down his back to his ass. She rubbed circles on the cheeks before gently dragging the sponge down the cleft between them and on into the space between his thighs, until it brushed lightly against the back of his balls. The touch sent another spark of carnal pleasure through the Devil. He wasn't sure if he was sorry or thankful that Mazikeen quickly finished cleaning that particular area of his body, and returned to the counter to exchange the sponge and refill the bowl once more.  
  
When she took up her position behind him again, Lucifer braced himself for what was to come. And once again, the demon deviated from the usual procedure of his previous bath attendants.  
  
"Could you please tilt your wings and make the feathers stand up again, my Lord?"  
  
Lucifer complied wordlessly, and felt her step close to him as she thanked him. He tensed in anticipation, expecting her to run the sponge through his feathers. Instead, a thin trickle of warm, foamy, soapy water started dripping onto the left wing, running down between the feathers until it reached the skin. The Devil bit back a gasp at the pleasant sensation. And just as he was relaxing fractionally, slender fingers slipped carefully between his feathers, stroking gently, spreading the lather and working it in.  
  
Oh Hell's fires! It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. So good. So absolutely, wonderfully fantastic. Pleasure rolled through him in waves, and he couldn't hold back a deep groan. Instantly, Mazikeen paused.  
  
"Don't stop! Please!"  
  
Had this strangled cry really come from him? This desperate plea? It didn't matter. The demon resumed her ministrations, and Lucifer lost himself in the intensity of the sensations she evoked, so completely unlike anything he had ever felt before. All conscious thoughts were drowned out by the incredible pleasure he was feeling.  
  
It took him a while to come out of the blissful trance he had fallen into and realize that Mazikeen had finished working on his left wing and was once again at the counter, refilling her bowl in preparation for dealing with the right one. As awareness returned, Lucifer became conscious of his physical state. He was breathing hard, almost panting. His pulse was faster than normal. And he was aroused, obviously and achingly so. His penis was fully erect.  
  
For a split second, he wanted nothing more than to reach down and stroke himself to completion, right here and now. What stopped him was the thought of how Mazikeen might react when she turned around and saw him.  
  
The Devil frowned at himself. What did it matter if she saw him? Why should he care how she would react to the sight of him jerking off? But it did matter. He didn't want her to see him like this. To know her ministrations had affected him. Had caused such a powerful reaction. That she had the power to do this to him, to make him lose control like that, make his body react in such unexpected ways.  
  
With a supreme effort of will, he brought himself back under control, concentrating on thoroughly unpleasant thoughts until his erection subsided. He barely managed it before Mazikeen finished her preparations and moved back behind him to take care of his other wing. Fortunately, the demon was so focused on her task that she didn't notice his turmoil.  
  
Knowing what to expect did nothing to lessen the intensity. Maybe even the opposite. The moment Mazikeen's talented fingers slipped between his feathers, waves of pleasure broke over the Devil once again, wiping out all conscious thought.  
  
Awareness was slower to return the second time. He was definitely panting this time, his pulse racing, his erection standing up proudly, begging to be touched. This was sweet, delicious torture.  
  
His gaze focused on the demon working at the counter, and realization crashed through him. It wasn't over yet. Mazikeen was preparing to clean the undersides of his wings. Oh bloody Hell.  
  
Even if he could manage to get himself under control again before she turned around - highly unlikely - there was no way he would be able to stop himself from reacting to her ministrations. As soon as she started touching his wings again, she would see how she affected him. She would know exactly how much power she had over him.  
  
For a second he panicked and considered leaving the room right now, despite the fact that he was covered literally head to toe with soap. Then he silently scoffed at himself, disgusted by his cowardice.  
  
So what if Mazikeen saw his physical reaction to her ministrations. It didn't matter. He was still the King of Hell, her Lord and master, who could destroy her utterly if he so wished.  
  
Not that he would ever do that. Destroying Mazikeen would mean having to go back to suffering the attentions of incompetent bath attendants, and that was unthinkable. He knew he would never be able to tolerate that kind of treatment again. Not after this demon had shown him that his wings could be the source of such incredible pleasure. With only a few touches, she had changed his whole world. He was now a hopeless addict, craving her ministrations and the pleasure they brought.  
  
No, Mazikeen was completely safe. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to ensure that she would remain his bath attendant and personal wing groomer for the rest of eternity. Better not let her know that, though.  
  
During his musings, his demon had continued her preparations, oblivious to Lucifer's struggles. She was now just about to return to her work. He wondered what her reaction to his physical state would be. Shock, embarrassment, disdain, revulsion? Surely she could not be completely blind to the fact that her ministrations had affected him. Given the close contact her work required, she must have noticed the changes in his breathing. And his pounding pulse probably could be felt through the thin skin of his wings.  
  
He doubted that she would expect the other effect her touches had on him, though. After all, he himself had been caught completely by surprise by his sudden arousal. The fact that he had absolutely no sexual interest in any of them was well known to the denizens of Hell. Back in the early days, there had been more than enough of them who had offered their bodies to their King or tried to seduce him. He had rejected them all, thoroughly and publicly, punishing them for their presumptions and making it perfectly clear that he did not appreciate their advances. After a while, they had gotten the message.  
  
But now, there was one demon who had managed the seemingly impossible, and without even doing so deliberately. Once again, and Mazikeen had proven herself to be so very different from the other demons. She fascinated him, her every action stoking the flames of his curiosity, increasing his determination to study her, and find out everything there was to know about her.  
  
Still oblivious to the emotional turmoil she had caused in her Lord, Mazikeen turned around. Lucifer watched her anxiously, waiting for her reaction. The demon's gaze drifted over his body, showing no surprise at the fact that he was still breathing hard. And then her gaze fixed on his groin. Did her eyes widen slightly? Was that a momentary twitch of her eyebrow? He really couldn't say, the reactions too quick and subtle for him to be sure they had occurred at all.  
  
After pausing for only a second, Mazikeen's gaze continued to wander over his body until she focused on his wings. She didn't react to his obvious arousal at all. Her expression remained calm and relaxed, and she made no comment. Relief coursed through Lucifer and he relaxed, only now noticing how much he had tensed up. But a small part of him was disappointed, maybe even slightly resentful. Surely his highly unusual physical state, his completely unprecedented reaction to a demon's touch,  warranted some sort of response from the one who had caused it?  
  
Mazikeen had clearly seen the state he was in, and yet she acted as if nothing noteworthy had happened. As if his condition didn't matter to her. Lucifer was not accustomed to such disregard, and it irked him. But at the same time, he was glad that she had shown no negative reaction to his arousal, that there had been no awkward scene between them. These contrary reactions left him torn and thoroughly confused.  
  
Perhaps it was a good thing then that the demon stepped forward without hesitation and started working on his left wing. Lucifer had automatically assumed the position, and once again Mazikeen thanked him and gave him a brief smile. And then warm, soapy water was drizzled onto his feathers, and the Devil looked at the demon just in time to witness the solution to the question that had puzzled him earlier.  
  
As the hand holding the sponge began to squeeze the lather onto his wing, Mazikeen lowered her other hand, the one still holding the bowl. And then, in one fluid movement, she parted her thighs, positioned the bowl between them, and clamped her legs together, holding the vessel securely. This accomplished, she lifted her now free hand, slipped slender, talented fingers between Lucifer's feathers, and began stroking him, causing waves of pleasure to wash over him once more.  
  
The Devil was still staring down at the bowl between the demon's thighs. All his irritation and confusion had disappeared. The sight of the bowl, its metal surface a gleaming contrast against her bronze skin, was mesmerizing. It drew his attention to Mazikeen's slender limbs, making him notice their elegant shape, their graceful lines. His gaze automatically followed these lines up to the apex of her thighs, and he found himself staring at the small patch of dark brown curls that covered her sex.  
  
For the first time ever, Lucifer wondered what it would feel like to touch another creature's genitals. To touch Mazikeen. The realization of what he was contemplating shocked him, and with an effort of will, he tore his gaze away and looked up, focusing on what her hands were doing with his wings, and on the pleasure she was giving him.  
  
Having Mazikeen more or less in front of him enabled Lucifer to watch her work, which provided the necessary focus for him to retain a small amount of conscious thought. Still, by the time she had finished the left wing and was working her way along the right one, thinking required an enormous amount of effort, and only pure, bloody-minded stubbornness kept him from giving in and losing himself completely in the pleasure.  
  
He had never felt anything like it, hadn't even known it was possible for his body to produce sensations of this magnitude. Oh, it wasn't as though he was some naive innocent. He was the Lord of Hell, after all. He knew about the pleasures of the flesh, and just what humans were willing to do to get them. After all, there had been that little affair with the apple in the garden, though his role had been strictly that of an advisor, instigator, and then spectator. Still, certain private experiments had shown him that his own body was capable of experiencing those pleasures, too. In fact, it was something he indulged in on a regular basis.  
  
But nothing he had done on his own had ever been this good, this intense and overwhelming. And the pleasure just went on, building up until part of him wanted to beg for it to stop, even while the rest of him was certain that stopping now would kill him, and hoped it would go on forever.  
  
For a moment, he wondered if Mazikeen was trying to kill him after all. If so, he could only congratulate her on coming up with a truly unique and ingenious way of doing it. If this was an assassination attempt, he was too far gone to care. At least he would die a very happy Devil.  
  
By now, Mazikeen had finished his left wing, and almost reached the tip of the right one. Her fingers were sliding easily between his feathers, spreading the lather, gently massaging it into his skin, removing dirt and dead skin cells. And then one of her fingers ran over a spot where a particularly sharp particle of ash had rubbed him raw throughout the day.  
  
The demon's earlier sluicing down of his wings had removed the irritant, allowing his healing powers to kick in. By now, the scab that had formed was starting to separate from the new skin beneath it, a process that caused a persistent, annoying itch. Up until a few minutes ago, the pleasure caused by Mazikeen's ministrations had easily drowned out the small annoyance. But now that her touches were drawing his attention to this part of his body, Lucifer found himself acutely aware of every single nerve signal from that area. And unfortunately, this included the itch.  
  
When Mazikeen's finger pressed gently on the scab as she stroked over it, Lucifer gave a deep groan of relief and pleasure as the itching stopped for a moment. A whimper escaped him when it started again as soon as the pressure was removed. The urge to reach out and scratch was almost overwhelming. Mazikeen seemed to read his thoughts. Before he could do more than twitch his fingers, blunt nails scraped carefully over the spot, neatly removing the scab and ending the annoying sensation.  
  
But the demon was not done yet. Lucifer was just sighing in relief when her finger once again returned to the spot, stroking over the exquisitely sensitive new skin, circling with infinite tenderness as she brushed away the last little encrustations from the edges of the wound.  
  
The Devil's sigh turned into a moan as a spike of pleasure shot through him, more intense than everything that had come before. It was the proverbial last drop. All conscious thought fled, and with a strangled cry Lucifer tumbled over the edge of oblivion as his body shook with the most intense climax he had ever experienced.  
  
When awareness eventually returned, he found himself leaning heavily on a slender, female form. His legs were decidedly rubbery, and the only thing keeping him upright was the firm yet gentle hold Mazikeen had on him.  
  
Once he was reasonably certain that he could stand on his own, he carefully straightened up and pulled back a bit. The demon released her hold and looked up at him, her expression concerned. Of course. She was worried how he would react to her having broken the no touching except hands rule. She probably expected him to punish her for it.  
  
Lucifer had absolutely no intention of doing so. In fact, he was grateful that she had caught him and prevented him from falling to the floor in a boneless heap. And feeling her lithe and surprisingly strong body pressed up against his had been quite nice.  
  
He gave her a gentle smile, doing his best to put her at ease. "Thank you, my dear Mazikeen."  
  
She smiled softly at him in return. "You're welcome, my Lord."  
  
He wondered if her response was about more than just preventing him from falling. He hadn't thought about the mind blowing orgasm he had just had when he thanked her, but his demon certainly deserved his thanks for that, too.  
  
Before he could try to express his thoughts, Mazikeen continued, "are you ready for me to rinse off the soap now, my Lord?"  
  
"Yes, thank you."  
  
In truth, Lucifer was not quite certain that he was ready for her to resume her ministrations, but there was no way he was going to admit it.  
  
As the demon stepped back, the Devil saw that there were streaks of white, soapy foam decorating her skin.  
  
"I'm afraid you're going to have to rinse off, too, Mazikeen." He smiled somewhat sheepishly. "I got you all soapy."  
  
The demon just smiled and nodded in agreement. Lucifer let his gaze travel over her body, enjoying the lovely contrast between her skin and the white foam. And then he realized that a few of the streaks were whiter and thicker than the others, and not soapy at all. Oh. If he had still been physically capable of blushing, Lucifer knew his face would probably have been just as crimson as the scars were right now. The phantom sensation of his nonexistent skin suffusing with heat was very strong.  
  
Thankfully, Mazikeen was either unaware or unconcerned about what had happened. She turned to the counter, filled the pitcher, picked up one of the cloths, and proceeded to clean herself up quickly and efficiently. Her brisk actions were a marked contrast to how she had treated him, making Lucifer realize just how much care she had been taking to make her ministrations pleasant for him. The knowledge stirred something deep within him. Nobody, not even the members of his own family, had ever shown as much care for his comfort as this demon. It was yet another proof of just how special she was.  
  
As soon as she was finished cleaning herself, Mazikeen refilled the pitcher and moved around Lucifer to begin rinsing him off. As she stepped up close behind him, the Devil automatically tilted his head back, earning another smiling thanks from his demon. As before, she stood very close to him, almost brushing against him. Once again, she lifted the full, heavy pitcher as high as she could, and poured the  deliciously warm water over his head, taking care that none ran down over his face. Lucifer hummed contentedly, enjoying the soothing sensations.  
  
Employing the same skillful manipulation of the water flow that she had used when wetting his body, Mazikeen now rinsed him off from head to foot, following the same pattern as before, leaving his wings for last. It was a pleasant, relaxing process for the Devil, and he did his best to assist her, stretching out his arms without being prompted, causing the demon to smile at him and thank him again.  
  
By the time Mazikeen had washed away the soap from his wings, her soothing work, combined with the afterglow of the most intense orgasm he had ever experienced, had left Lucifer completely relaxed, and slightly drowsy. He roused himself when the demon stepped away from him, returned to the counter to set down the pitcher, and then remained there, just looking at him.  
  
"If you could please shake out your wings now, my Lord?"  
  
She had worded it as a request, and her tone was mild, but Lucifer fancied that there was a hint of an order hidden beneath it. Wondering if this was the first glimmer of her real personality, he smiled and complied. Drops of water flew everywhere as he flapped his wings vigorously.  
  
Mazikeen leaned back against the counter and watched him, her gaze moving from his wings to his body, and up to his face, meeting his eyes briefly before drifting to his wings again. Her lips were curled up in a smile, and her eyes were sparkling. She was clearly enjoying the sight. Lucifer was delighted to note that she had loosened up enough to show her enjoyment openly. He was also enjoying himself, taking pleasure in moving his wings, in feeling the water fly off the feathers.  
  
So far, only a few of the drops had hit his demon, and she had ignored them completely. A sudden, mischievous impulse made Lucifer change the direction of his flapping, bringing his wings forward and causing a veritable storm of water drops to envelop her.  
  
Mazikeen laughed. It was a wonderful sound, clear and full of amusement, without any negative undertones, and utterly out of place in Hell. Lucifer's smile widened, and he found himself joining her laughter as he continued spraying water at her with his wings.  
  
Eventually, the amount of drops flying off his feathers decreased, until only an occasional tiny droplet accompanied the gusts of air moved by his flapping. His wings were just slightly damp now. In marked contrast, the rest of his body was still quite wet. And the same was true of the demon standing before him. Mazikeen's skin was covered with glittering drops of water. Some of them had joined up and begun running down her body, leaving silvery trails. Lucifer watched, mesmerized, as yet another drop started its journey up at her collarbone, slowly traveling down to the valley between her breasts, picking up speed as it united with other drops. It ran down quickly over the demon's flat stomach, skirting around her navel and finally disappearing into the soft curls covering her sex.  
  
When he looked up again, Lucifer found Mazikeen watching him. Once again, the Devil felt the phantom sensation of a blush spreading across his face. Her lips were curled up in a smile, and for a moment it looked like she would make a comment. But then she looked away and her features smoothed out into the calm, neutral expression that Lucifer was now certain was a carefully constructed facade.  
  
He felt a pang of disappointment, and also a spike of anger. She was hiding herself from him, and for a second, he wanted nothing more than to grab her and shake her until she dropped the mask and allowed him to see the real her. But that would only scare her away, and he couldn't risk that.  
  
No, if he wanted to get to know the real Mazikeen, he needed to go slowly, to put her at her ease and draw her out gradually. This would require restraint and patience, both most emphatically not among his virtues. Still, he was convinced that the effort would be worth it. Already, he had seen the first glimpses of her true self, and he liked them. He was quite looking forward to getting to know this unique and fascinating demon.  
  
"Would you like me to dry off your body before I begin grooming your wings, my Lord?"  
  
"That would be lovely, my dear Mazikeen." Lucifer let his gaze drift once again over her body. "And please feel free to dry off yourself, too. If you want to."  
  
"Thank you, my Lord."  
  
"Lucifer." The word was out of his mouth before he knew it. Mazikeen had been about to turn to the counter, but now she stopped and looked at him in confusion.  
  
"My Lord?"  
  
He smiled softly at her. "No, Mazikeen. Not 'my Lord'. Lucifer." His smile widened as he saw surprise and realization spread across her face. "You may call me by my name."  
  
The demon bowed her head in acknowledgment of the privilege she had been granted.  
  
"Thank you, my L-", he made a small sound of protest, and she hastily corrected herself, "Lucifer. Thank you, Lucifer." She raised her head and smiled wryly. "Please forgive me. I'm afraid it may take me a while to get used to it."  
  
"I understand, my dear. Don't worry about it."  
  
She nodded and smiled gratefully, then turned to the counter, picked up one of the towels, and briskly dried herself off. Lucifer watched her, and had to stifle a moan when she bent over to run the towel down her legs and he found himself staring at her behind and her sex. A wave of desire swept through him, startling him with its intensity. His hands itched with the need to touch her, to slide over her skin and explore her beautiful body. The fact that he felt this desire for another being, and a demon at that, still surprised and shocked him. He wondered if Mazikeen would welcome his touch, if it would give her pleasure just like hers had given him.  
  
Meanwhile, the demon finished drying herself, picked up a fresh towel, and turned back to him. This time she started with his front. Standing right before him, she reached up and gently ran the towel over the top of his head. Holding one end in each hand, she let the soft fabric slide down the back of his head, pulling it back and forth carefully. Next she dried the sides, giving special attention to his ears, before finally taking care of his face.  
  
Lucifer had closed his eyes the moment she started toweling him off, leaning into her touch as he concentrated on the pleasant sensations. When Mazikeen moved on to his neck and shoulders, he opened his eyes again, taking the opportunity to drink in the sight of her beautiful face once more. He wanted to touch it, to learn how the different parts felt beneath his fingertips. But he held himself back, unwilling to interrupt his demon's ministrations. Besides, he didn't know how she would react to such a request, and he had no intention of scaring her away or making her uncomfortable. Maybe once they had gotten to know each other better, she would allow him to satisfy his curiosity.  
  
He held out his arms so Mazikeen could dry them, and was pleased that she simply left off his title when thanking him, instead of replacing it with his name. It might be less respectful, but that seemed more natural for her, another place where her true personality was beginning to come through. Lucifer found it refreshing.  
  
His demon continued her work, toweling off the front and sides of his torso until she reached his hips. Like before, she knelt down and turned her attention to his genitals, gently taking them in hand as she dried them off carefully. Lucifer stared down at her, watching the way she handled him through half closed eyes. His imagination ran wild, painting him vivid pictures of Mazikeen wrapping those elegant hands firmly around his cock and pumping him until he exploded all over her perfect breasts. He hastily stopped those thoughts when he felt the first stirrings of a physical reaction.  
  
Mercifully, the demon soon finished drying that part of his body and moved on to his legs. She quickly rubbed them down, then rose and exchanged the towel for a new one before turning her attention to his back. Lucifer leaned into her touch, sighing happily as she began to press down more firmly. He decided that, some time in the not too distant future, he would see if she was willing to give him a proper massage. And maybe he would be able to persuade her to let him return the favor.  
  
Mazikeen worked her way down his back, taking particular care with the sensitive skin surrounding the bases of his wings. When she reached his ass, Lucifer once again had to stop his imagination from running riot as he wondered what it would feel like to have her massaging his buttocks, kneading them firmly before sliding those wickedly talented fingers between them and doing things he had never even done himself. This time, he couldn't suppress his physical reaction entirely, and when Mazikeen finished her work and returned to the counter to discard the towel, he didn't make any attempt to hide the fact that he was half hard.  
  
This time, there was a definite reaction when his demon turned around and saw his physical state. Her eyebrow arched up, and those beautiful lips curved upwards in something halfway between a smirk and a pleased smile. When her gaze flickered to his face and their eyes met, Lucifer responded with a smirk of his own, and an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows. Instead of retreating behind her bland servant mask, as he half feared, Mazikeen laughed. He was delighted to hear that beautiful sound of pure amusement again so soon.  
  
"Glad to see you're enjoying my work, Lucifer."  
  
She said it lightly, teasingly, but he could hear the truth in her words.  
  
"Oh, that I most certainly do, my darling Mazikeen," Lucifer purred. His expression became more sincere, the smirk morphing into a soft smile. "Nobody has ever managed to make this feel so good. I can't thank you enough for that."  
  
The demon ducked her head in an oddly shy gesture, the smile on her face now definitely pleased. "Then your previous bath attendants were idiots. It's not that hard to make this feel good."  
  
Lucifer's smile widened. "Well, I certainly agree with your assessment of your predecessors." He became serious. "But I wasn't referring only to them. When I say that nobody has ever made having my wings cleaned feel good, I do mean nobody."  
  
Mazikeen stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Not even-"  
  
She broke off, unwilling to name them, and Lucifer smiled wryly. Everyone in Hell knew that his family and his past in Heaven were touchy subjects, to be approached with extreme care, and preferably not at all. Clearly, his demon was not quite prepared to take that risk.  
  
"Yes, Mazikeen. Not even my family members back in Heaven. Even the best wing groomers among them only ever managed to make it a vaguely uncomfortable experience. You, my dear, are the first who has ever made it pleasant for me to have my wings cleaned. In this, you have proven yourself to be better than all the angels in Heaven." He looked at her intently. "Be proud of that, Mazikeen. It is not a small achievement; certainly not in my eyes."  
  
He himself felt a sharp spike of pride as he watched her straighten and raise her head proudly, giving him a look that held a distinct challenge.  
  
"I always pride myself at being good at what I do, Lucifer. Very, very good."  
  
A wide grin spread across the Devil's face. This was definitely her real nature showing itself, and she was magnificent.  
  
"Well, from everything I've seen of you so far, that pride is more than justified. Don't hide it." He reached out, unable to resist the urge to touch her any longer. Lifting his hand, he wanted nothing more than to place it gently on her left cheek and stroke the exposed muscles and tendons there. But after a split second of hesitation, he settled for laying it on her shoulder. Mazikeen accepted the touch, and he continued, "in fact, don't hide any part of yourself from me. I value the truth, Mazikeen, and getting to know your true self will be much more pleasing to me than any mask you could put on in an attempt to please me."  
  
"I shall do my best to remember that, Lucifer."  
  
She tilted her head to the side and briefly brushed her demonic left cheek against the back of his hand, lowering her gaze as she did so. Before Lucifer could fully register the touch, the demon pulled away again, literally and figuratively. When she raised her eyes once more, he knew it was back to business.  
  
"Should I towel off your wings before I start grooming them?"  
  
"No, they're almost dry anyway. Toweling them is going to make hardly any difference. It's easier to just let them air dry."  
  
Mazikeen shrugged. "Your wings, your choice."  
  
She stepped around him to begin her work. "Let me know if I miss any spot, or if I'm doing something wrong."  
  
"Oh, I very much doubt that I will need to do that. Your performance so far has been most satisfactory." Lucifer grinned as his innuendo earned him an amused chuckle from his demon. It really was great to have her loosening up so quickly in his presence. If this continued, he wouldn't have to strain his meager reserves of patience in his quest to get to know her.  
  
Mazikeen's talented fingers slipped once again between his feathers and began straightening them out, disentangling those that had become twisted, smoothing down barbs, and generally arranging his plumage until everything was in exactly the right place. Lucifer hummed in pleasure, no longer trying to hide his reactions to her ministrations. The sensations were not as intense this time, since Mazikeen's work was mostly concerned with the feathers themselves, and her fingers only occasionally brushed the sensitive skin of his wings.  
  
Nevertheless, Lucifer was thoroughly enjoying her ministrations, and he had no problem with letting her know it. Whenever Mazikeen did something that felt especially good, he moaned softly. Soon he began to notice that her fingers were brushing his skin more often than strictly necessary. He grinned in delight. This marvelous creature was teasing him! Oh, they were going to have so much fun together.  
  
Despite the fact that she was being careful and very thorough, Mazikeen was done with the upper sides of his wings quicker than Lucifer had hoped. When she came around to his front and began working on the undersides, he was tempted to ask her to draw out her ministrations. The memory of what had happened earlier stopped him. No matter how much he would love to experience another mind blowing orgasm, he didn't want to collapse and force Mazikeen to catch him again. Especially not if it resulted in him spilling his seed on her once more, and this time with no soapy lather around to disguise the fact. In addition to it being embarrassing, doing something like that without her consent, without her actively encouraging it, felt wrong.  
  
Lucifer once again took the opportunity to watch his demon work as she groomed the undersides of his wings. The sight of her fingers moving deftly between his feathers, handling them with the impressive skill she had demonstrated in all her actions so far, was fascinating and also highly erotic. Mazikeen continued teasing him, stroking the sensitive skin of his wing lightly with her fingertips. Her gaze would flicker to his face every now and then, gauging his reaction as she gave him a smile that was distinctly coy and flirtatious. Lucifer did his best to encourage her, smiling back, waiting until their eyes met to hum in pleasure or moan softly. It had the desired effect. Mazikeen became bolder and her teasing more frequent. The fleeting, seemingly accidental touches became longer, now clearly deliberate. Lucifer pressed his wing against her fingers and she stroked him more firmly.  
  
When he felt a blunt fingernail scraping lightly against the root of one of his primaries, he squeezed his eyes closed and hissed at the spike of pleasure that shot through him.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Mazikeen replied with a throaty chuckle and another light scratch a few inches to the right, making him moan. His wings twitched uncontrollably, momentarily pulling away from the demon's touch. She looked up at him, flirtation replaced with concern, and he hastily brought his wings forward again, smiling reassuringly.  
  
His demon gave him a full blown smirk in response. She slid her fingers back between his feathers and deliberately scratched at the root of another primary, while staring him straight in the eyes. Lucifer moaned loudly, his eyes fluttering shut at the pleasure. He heard another throaty chuckle, and then felt Mazikeen resume her normal grooming, interspersed with teasing touches and occasional light scratching.  
  
By the time she was smoothing out the last barbs at the tip of his right wing, the Devil was once again thinking about taking himself in hand right here in front of her. Mazikeen ran her fingertips lightly along the edge of his wing one last time and then took a few steps back to admire her handiwork. Lucifer couldn't help preening a bit under her appreciative gaze. He lifted his wings high, folding them back and stretching them out again a few times, showing off their perfectly cleaned and groomed beauty. Taking a quick look himself, he was convinced that they had never looked better.  
  
"Excellent work, my dear Mazikeen."  
  
His demon hummed in agreement, a pleased smile lighting up her face. Her eyes continued to wander over his body, until they fixed on his groin, where his cock was standing up proudly. The smile on Mazikeen's face turned into a smirk.  
  
"Looks like I'm not quite done yet."  
  
Before Lucifer could react, she stepped forward and sank to her knees right in front of him. As he stared down at her, she raised her hands, wrapped one firmly around his cock, and began stroking it slowly. Her other hand cupped his balls, rolling them around between her fingers, massaging them gently.  
  
For a moment, Lucifer was convinced that he was dreaming or hallucinating. This was so exactly like his earlier fantasy. And then Mazikeen's fingertips circled the head of his cock before her hand slid down again, causing waves of pleasure to roll over him, and he knew this was real. Pleasure like this could never be a mere figment of his imagination.  
  
As she continued pumping his cock and playing with his balls, his demon raised her head and looked up at him, smiling. Lucifer smiled back as he gasped and moaned at the pleasure she was giving him. Even though his mind was fogged with the intensity of the sensations she was evoking, the Devil noticed that the pupil of her human-looking eye was dilated. He wasn't familiar enough with her demonic eye yet to tell if it was similarly affected.  
  
A small movement drew his attention to her lips in time to see her tongue dart out to lick them, a sight that triggered a slew of new fantasies. He pushed them aside with an effort, filing them away for some later time. His gaze wandered further down to her throat and her chest, and he noted that her pulse was beating faster now. Her breathing rate had increased, too. As he watched her breasts rise and fall with each breath, he became aware that her nipples were hard and erect. It appeared that he was not the only one who enjoyed what was happening.  
  
Mazikeen was still stroking him with a firm but gentle touch, her hand moving steadily at the slow pace she had chosen. It felt incredible, but it wasn't enough. Lucifer reached down and placed his own hand over hers, guiding her, encouraging her without words to grip him harder, pump faster. Their combined efforts soon had him soaring towards his climax. Through the haze of pleasure, he was dimly aware that his wings were moving of their own accord, twitching and threatening to throw him off balance. He placed his free hand on Mazikeen's shoulder to steady himself, making his demon grin up at him.  
  
The sensation of one of Mazikeen's fingernails sliding smoothly across the head of his cock pushed Lucifer over the edge. He gave a strangled cry as his orgasm crashed through him, his hips jerking forward as he began to spill his seed. His demon twisted to the side at the last moment, letting his essence splatter on the bathroom floor. Lucifer's hand fell away from where it had been covering hers and took hold of her other shoulder instead as he did his best to keep himself upright while his wings flapped uncontrollably.  
  
Mazikeen continued to stroke him through his climax, milking every last drop out of him. Just at the moment when the pleasure threatened to tip over into pain, she stopped. As Lucifer gazed down at her, she leaned forward, her pink tongue appeared between her lips, and in one slow, deliberate movement, she licked the last drop of come off the tip of his penis. The Devil couldn't hold back a deep groan as the sight made his desire for this wonderful creature flare up again.  
  
Sliding his hands down from her shoulders to her upper arms, he gently pulled her to her feet.  
  
"Thank you, my darling Mazikeen."  
  
"You're welcome, Lucifer."  
  
His demon was smiling up at him, and he noticed once again that the pupil of her human eye was wide open, and her pulse was still beating quickly. He could no longer resist temptation. Raising his right hand, he carefully cradled the left side of her face, marveling at the texture of her demonic features. His thumb traced her cheekbone while his fingertips gently stroked the rim of her eye socket, mindful of the fact that her eye was lidless and unprotected. Mazikeen not only tolerated the touch, to Lucifer's delight she leaned into it with a contented sigh.  
  
"Beautiful." The word was a low, reverential murmur. "Stunning. Absolutely exquisite."  He smiled softly at her. "You, Mazikeen, are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."  
  
And before she could say anything, the Devil bowed his head and gently brushed his lips against hers.  
  
He pulled back again after a second, worried that he was going too far, too fast. Immediately, his demon wound her arms around his neck and pulled him back down again, returning the kiss enthusiastically. Lucifer moaned as the tip of her tongue brushed against his lips, and Mazikeen seized the chance to slide it between them and into his mouth. She briefly ran her tongue along his front teeth, and then moved past them to probe at his own tongue. After a moment, she retreated, then darted forward again to poke his. When her tongue retreated back into her own mouth this time, he took the hint and followed her example, eagerly licking her delicious lips before pushing past them to explore what lay behind.  
  
As their lips and tongues continued their erotic dance, Lucifer's hands were not idle. While the right one was still cradling his demon's head and stroking her beautiful features, his left hand was sliding down the side of her torso, luxuriating in the feeling of her smooth, soft skin beneath his fingers. He let his touch meander back and forth, his thumb grazing the side of her breast before drifting to her back to explore the bumps of her vertebrae as his hand pushed gently against her spine, pressing her to him until he could feel the soft mounds of her breasts flattening against his chest, her nipples hard pebbles trapped between them.  
  
The contact made Mazikeen moan, and Lucifer reveled in the sound. His hand continued its wandering, moving back to her side, resting briefly at her waist as he tried to decide its further path. He was torn between his desire to feel the smooth curves of her butt, to squeeze those lovely cheeks, and his curiosity about the treasure that awaited him between her legs. In the end, the latter won out, and he let his hand drift down to her hip before moving forward.  
  
The moment his fingers brushed against the slick folds of her sex, Mazikeen jerked away from him with a startled gasp. She got herself under control again almost immediately and pressed against him once more, her hips swiveling, trying to entice his fingers to resume their explorations. But the short reaction had been enough to break through the haze of lust that had fogged Lucifer's mind.  
  
"Mazikeen? Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
The answer came quickly, almost automatically. Too quickly. He pulled back slightly, looking at her with concern. His demon noticed, of course, and smiled up at him reassuringly.  
  
"Really, I'm fine. It was just unexpected."  
  
Lucifer raised a politely disbelieving eyebrow. He would have thought that his movements had been slow enough to give ample warning of his intentions. Had she been so distracted by their kissing that she failed to notice his touches? Somehow, he doubted that.  
  
Seeing the disbelief in his eyes, Mazikeen tried to explain, "I don't mean you touching me, just how it felt." She apparently saw his confusion, and continued, lowering her eyes as she did so. "Nobody's ever touched me there before."  
  
Lucifer's mouth fell open in surprise.  
  
"You're untouched?" He blurted out, and immediately winced at his poor choice of words and complete lack of finesse. Could he possibly have chosen a more awkward phrase? He blamed the shock of hearing such an unexpected confession from his demon. Despite his certainty that she was not lying, he could hardly wrap his mind around the idea that a creature as magnificent as her should not have had anybody willing and eager to be her lover.  
  
Mazikeen seemed to know what he was thinking. As he stared down at her, a small smirk began playing across her lips. "None of my suitors ever managed to catch my fancy."  
  
This time, both of Lucifer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. A smile curved up the corners of his mouth. Really, he had to stop underestimating her. The fact that none of the demons who had courted her had met her standards was yet another indication of her good taste. His smile fell as he thought further about it. He was well aware that demons in general did not value consent when it came to their courting. It was one of the things he despised about them. Any demons found guilty of forcing themselves on others were punished with the utmost severity. It had made the majority more wary of committing such transgressions, but it did not stop them.  
  
Lucifer looked at his demon in concern. "And they all just accepted you rejection gracefully?"  
  
The smirk on Mazikeen's face became a feral smile. "I am stronger than I look, Lucifer. And I know how to fight. Those who tried to force their attentions on me learned that fact the hard way."  
  
She raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes, proud and self assured. Lucifer threw his head back and laughed in delight.  
  
"Oh my darling Mazikeen, you are truly marvelous! I am sure they richly deserved everything they got." His own smile was just as feral as hers. Despite the fact that his demon had clearly been perfectly capable of taking care of herself, a part of him wanted to hunt down the miserable creatures who had tried to violate her and make them suffer unimaginable torments for the rest of eternity. Unimaginable for them, that is. He had a very creative imagination.  
  
Mazikeen was grinning up at him, her eyes sparkling, and he once again felt a wave of desire for this wonderful being. "Well, I have no intention of forcing my attentions on you, my darling. Which leaves us with an interesting question: have I managed to catch your fancy?"  
  
Her grin shifted to a soft, oddly shy smile. "You are my Lord and I am your servant, Lucifer. You may do as you wish."  
  
A bucket of ice water dumped on his head couldn't have killed his mood more thoroughly. He stared at her in shock and horror.  
  
"No, Mazikeen. Not this. Never this."  
  
His demon looked up at him in confusion. "But don't you want me?"  
  
Lucifer groaned. "Oh bloody Hell, of course I want you. You're gorgeous, and brilliant,  and absolutely magnificent, and I've never desired anyone like I desire you. But not without your consent."  
  
A pleased smile had spread across Mazikeen's face at his compliments, but he could still see the confusion in her eyes. Lucifer ran a hand over his head as he scrambled for a way to explain, to make her understand. He needed her to understand.  
  
"I want you, Mazikeen, but I meant what I said. I have no intention of forcing my attentions on you, of doing anything with you that you do not truly want." He looked at her intently, willing her to believe him. "I don't want you to do this just because you think that you somehow have to. If you're worried about losing your job, your place in my household, rest assured that there is absolutely no risk of that. You have my word that you will always have a place here." He smiled wryly. "In fact, I'm afraid that is the one thing I must insist on."  
  
When Mazikeen looked at him questioningly, he continued, "After the amazing skill you demonstrated at handling my wings, I don't think I could stand it if I had to put up with the incompetence of the other demons again. Therefore, whatever else happens between us, I absolutely insist that you remain my bath attendant and wing groomer from now until the end of time."  
  
His demon gave him a slow, solemn nod, and seemed to relax a bit. Lucifer found himself relaxing, too. But then a thought occurred to him that made nausea rise in his throat.  
  
"Mazikeen." He waited until her gaze met his before continuing, "the duties of bath attendant do not include dealing with any physical reactions I may have to your ministrations. I am capable of handling them myself." He swallowed hard, trying to force down the sick feeling that filled him at the thought that her earlier actions may have been the result of some twisted sense of obligation. "Please tell me you didn't do it just because you thought you had to."  
  
"I thought you'd like it."  
  
Lucifer flinched as her words confirmed his worst suspicions. Seeing his reaction, Mazikeen went on quickly, "But that wasn't really the reason why I did it."  
  
When she didn't continue, the Devil raised an enquiring eyebrow. His demon averted her gaze and shifted on her feet, clearly uncomfortable.  
  
"Come on. You can tell me." He took great care to make his voice sound amused and gently teasing as he asked, "Did you do it because you liked having power over me like that?"  
  
"No." Mazikeen's gaze briefly met his before she looked away again. "I mean yes, I did like that I could do that, make you react like that. But that's not really why I did it, either."  
  
"Why then?" When she still hesitated, Lucifer sighed in exasperation. "Out with it, Mazikeen. Whatever your reason was, I promise it can't be worse than doing it because you thought you had to."  
  
His demon gave a sigh of her own, straightened her shoulders, and replied: "Curiosity. Just my curiosity getting the better of me. That's why I did it. I just wanted to know what it was like."  
  
Lucifer was dimly aware that the dumbfounded expression on his face must look comical, but he just couldn't help it. Never in a million years would he have suspected this reason for Mazikeen's actions.  
  
Seeing that she had rendered him speechless, she decided to explain further. "When you climaxed while I was cleaning your wings, it took me by surprise, and then I was too busy with other things to really get a good look at what was going on with you."  
  
Lucifer smiled wryly. Other things meaning stopping him from landing face-first on the floor, and probably trying to avoid getting battered by his wings.  
  
Mazikeen shrugged. "So, when you clearly enjoyed my grooming, and I saw the state it had gotten you in, I thought I might lend a helping hand, and get another chance to take a closer look at the same time." A positively filthy grin spread across her face. "Seize the opportunity, so to speak, and find out all the things I wanted to know. Sights, sounds, touch," she paused a moment and licked her lips, "taste. I liked it, by the way. All of it."  
  
The Devil stared at her incredulously for a moment longer, and then broke into full, almost hysterical laughter. It took him a little while to calm down enough to speak.  
  
"You," he gasped, "are absolutely incredible. Bloody fantastic. Using the Lord of Hell to satisfy your curiosity. I love it!" Seeing the half-disbelieving look in her eyes, and the hint of apprehension that lurked beneath it, he hastened to reassure her. "I mean it, Mazikeen. You have no idea how refreshing it is to deal with someone who isn't afraid of me. You really aren't, are you?"  
  
His demon shrugged again. "I guess not. Should I be?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't want you to be afraid of me, but there are lots of others who would tell you that you should be."  
  
"I'd rather trust my own judgement than rely on the opinions of others." She looked up at him, her eyebrow arched in something halfway between a question and a challenge. Lucifer grinned.  
  
"Well, I definitely agree with that. So, what does your judgement say about me?"  
  
Mazikeen answered without hesitation. "That you've given me no reason to be afraid of you so far." Her expression grew thoughtful. "You're different from what I expected. Different from every other being I ever met."  
  
"Good different, or bad different?" Lucifer asked softly.  
  
"Good." She nodded for emphasis. "Definitely good."  
  
Lucifer smiled brightly. He would never admit it, but her words were a relief to him. The more he saw of her true self, the more he wanted this creature, desired her in more ways than he had realized. Not just her body, not just the pleasure she gave him. He enjoyed her company, and he wanted more of it.  
  
They were both silent for a few moments, standing there, not quite touching. Finally, Lucifer huffed out a breathy little chuckle. "I guess we're back to my original question." He looked into his demon's eyes, his expression completely serious. "Have I caught your fancy, Mazikeen? Do you desire me? Do you want me to touch you, to give you pleasure? The choice is entirely yours." He looked away, perhaps afraid to see rejection in her eyes. "It has to be yours."  
  
In averting his gaze, he missed the look of understanding that briefly flashed across Mazikeen's face before being replaced by certainty and determination. Lucifer startled as he felt her body pressing against his once again. His demon took hold of his chin with one hand and gently but firmly forced him to meet her gaze again.  
  
"Yes. I want this, Lucifer. I want you." Her hand moved to the back of his head, pulling him down until their lips were almost touching. "I choose you, Lucifer."  
  
Warmth blossomed in Lucifer's chest as Mazikeen kissed him, warmth unlike anything he had ever felt before. There was desire in there, and pure physical lust, but also other emotions that he couldn't name. He returned the kiss passionately, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, needing the contact to reassure himself that this was real.  
  
Mazikeen seemed to feel the same way. Her hands were roaming all over his head, shoulders, and upper back, down to the roots of his wings. She was squirming in his embrace, rubbing her body against him while her tongue battled with his. It was driving him crazy with lust.  
  
When she lifted one leg and wrapped it around the backs of his thighs so she could press her hips more firmly against him, Lucifer broke their kiss and looked around wildly, searching for a place to lay her down and worship her like she deserved. Nothing presented itself, the hard surfaces of his bathroom clearly unsuitable for the actions he had in mind.  
  
An impatient sound drew the Devil's attention back to the woman in his arms. He smiled down at her, amused by the hint of a pout on her face. "Let's take this somewhere more comfortable."  
  
He waited a moment, giving her the chance to voice any objections she might have. Mazikeen only nodded, and then lowered her head and began kissing his throat. With a groan, Lucifer brought his wings forward, wrapped them securely around her, and extended his will to take them both to his private quarters. There was the usual momentary rush of movement, making his demon startle in his arms, and then the familiar atmosphere of his bedroom surrounded them. He immediately drew back his wings and loosened his hold, and Mazikeen turned to look around.  
  
Lucifer watched as she took in her new surroundings, gratified to see only open curiosity in her eyes, with no trace of apprehension. An appreciative smile slowly spread across his demon's face as she took in the elegant luxury of the room.  
  
"Nice." Her smile widened when she caught sight of the huge bed with its black silk sheets, pillows, and comforter. "Very nice."  
  
The Devil chuckled softly. "I'm glad you approve. Much more comfortable than the bathroom, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
Without hesitation, Mazikeen took his hand and practically dragged him over to the bed. She gave him a confused frown when he stopped her from climbing up onto it. Grinning mischievously, Lucifer picked her up and carefully laid her down in the middle of the bed, kneeling beside her. She laughed softly and wrapped one hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down into another passionate kiss. Her other hand came to rest on his chest, the fingers caressing his skin before seeking out one of his nipples. While their lips and tongues mingled, her talented fingers played with the hard little nub and then did the same with its twin, making the Devil gasp and moan.  
  
When her hand began to slide further down his body, Lucifer pulled away, earning a full blown pout from his demon. He smiled gently. "I want you, Mazikeen. I want to worship your wonderful body, to make you scream in pleasure. Will you allow me to do this?"  
  
"Yes!" She growled at him. "Less talking, more doing!"  
  
Lucifer laughed delightedly as he leaned down to kiss her hard. Gone was the mask of the meek and mild servant. This magnificent creature did not hesitate to give orders to the Lord of Hell in his own bedroom. Orders he was more than happy to follow, in this case. It was a wonderful, refreshing change from the usual demon behavior around him. Exciting.  
  
Pulling away from her lips, he turned his attentions to her face, tracing a line of kisses from the corner of her mouth down to her jawline, then up across her right cheek until he reached her ear. Lucifer gently took her earlobe between his lips and gave a playful tug, earning a low moan from his demon. Next, he kissed his way up to her forehead, occasionally interspersing little licks, tasting her skin. He placed a soft kiss right on the divide between the human-looking and the clearly demonic half of her face, marveling at the different textures, and then moved on to explore her demon features.  
  
As he kissed and licked a path around the edge of her eye socket and down her temple to her cheek, Mazikeen was far from passive. Her hands were once again roaming over his upper body, stroking his skin, trying to pull him closer. She was writhing on the bed, rubbing against him, seeking more contact. Soft gasps and moans were spilling from her lips, letting Lucifer know how much she was enjoying what he was doing. He loved hearing the sounds of her pleasure, delighting in the knowledge that he was the one eliciting these reactions.  
  
When Mazikeen's efforts to urge him on became more insistent, the Devil pulled back slightly and looked at her as sternly as he was able in his current aroused state.  
  
"Oh no. None of that, my darling."  
  
He bit back a smile at the scowl this got him. Really, it was adorable.  
  
"But I want you now!" Mazikeen mewled, twisting so her hips rubbed against his. Lucifer reached down and gently pressed her back into the mattress.  
  
"And I promise that you shall have me, in a little while. But I want to explore your wonderful body first." He smirked at her. "Call it curiosity. I want to know what it's like. Sights, sounds, touch," he leaned in and licked the exposed row of her teeth, "taste."  
  
His demon huffed in annoyance, but the corners of her mouth were curled up in a smile. "Oh sure. Use my own words against me."  
  
Lucifer chuckled. "Well, I am the Devil, after all." He raised an enquiring eyebrow. "So, will you allow me to satisfy my curiosity?"  
  
Mazikeen sighed and pulled her hands away from him, raising them in surrender. "Alright. I suppose it's only fair."  
  
Grinning at her grudging tone, Lucifer took hold of one of her hands and placed a courteous kiss on the back of it. "Excellent. Thank you, my darling."  
  
He turned her hand over and kissed her fingertips, then wrapped his lips around her index finger and sucked it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it while he kept his gaze locked on Mazikeen's face. She moaned loudly, her free hand grasping the bedsheet while the one he was holding twitched in his grasp. Lucifer released the digit with a plop, and then quickly nipped at the fleshy pad of the finger with his teeth. His demon hissed in reaction and pressed her fingertip more firmly against his mouth.  
  
With a smirk, he pulled back slightly and turned his attention to her palm. He shifted his hold on her hand and guided it to his face, brushing his cheek against it while keeping eye contact with his demon. Mazikeen moved her fingers to stroke his temple, and Lucifer leaned into her touch, humming in pleasure. Turning his head slightly, he placed an open-mouthed kiss in her palm, then licked a broad swath across it.  
  
He nibbled a path from the base of her thumb down to the inside of her wrist, where he stroked the soft skin with his lips before sucking hard, making his demon moan. The sound was music to his ears. Releasing the pressure, he scraped his teeth over the sensitized skin, and then stroked it soothingly with his tongue.  
  
Relinquishing his hold on Mazikeen's hand, he gently grasped her arm and followed the path of her vein as it ran from her wrist to the inside of her elbow. There he once again sucked hard at the soft, sensitive skin, delighting in the moans and shudders his actions elicited. Throughout it all, he kept his eyes firmly fixed on hers, watching the pleasure play across her features and letting her see how much he enjoyed it.  
  
Lucifer finally looked away from his demon's face when he reached the top of her arm. He briefly pushed his nose into the gap between the slender limb and Mazikeen's torso, inhaling deeply, basking in her scent. Beneath the familiar, pleasant scent of her soap, there was a hint of something else, a subtle fragrance that was purely her own. It was delicious, positively intoxicating.  
  
He brushed his lips along her collarbone until he reached the small hollow at the base of her throat. From there, he turned his attentions on the elegant column of her neck. Mazikeen tilted her head back, granting him better access, and Lucifer happily took advantage of the invitation, laving the tender skin with his tongue, tracing her jugular vein with his teeth. He could feel the vibrations of her sighs, moans, and soft cries of pleasure, and it spurred him on.  
  
By the time he kissed his way back down to her collarbone and continued to follow its curve to her other shoulder, Mazikeen was writhing on the bed and breathing hard. As he moved from the shoulder to her upper arm, she growled at him and reached up to push his head away.  
  
"Leave that one for next time. There are better places to put your mouth." She arched her back, pressing her breasts against him.  
  
Lucifer chuckled. "Patience, my darling."  
  
"Fuck patience," Mazikeen growled, making the Devil laugh.  
  
"Oh, but I'd much rather fuck you," he purred.  
  
His demon scowled at him. "Then stop messing around and do it."  
  
"Bossy, aren't you?"  
  
"Beginning to have second thoughts about wanting to know my true self?" Mazikeen raised her eyebrow in challenge.  
  
For a moment, Lucifer became completely serious. "Never." He smiled softly and sincerely. "I like your true self, Mazikeen. Very much so. Bossiness, lack of patience, and all."  
  
He bit the soft flesh on the inside of her upper arm none too gently, chuckling at the loud moan that earned him. And then he complied with his demon's wishes and turned his attention to her breasts. They were beautiful. Soft, round, tipped with nipples that stood proudly erect, surrounded by aureoles that were a few shades darker than Mazikeen's normal skin tone.  
  
Lucifer rested his forehead against his demon's sternum and then tilted his head left and right, pressing his cheeks against the sides of her breasts. The smooth, warm skin, the soft, yielding flesh felt wonderful against his scarred features. He rubbed his nose along the curve of the right breast, inhaling deeply, once again enjoying Mazikeen's unique scent. Pursing his lips, he blew out a directed stream of air, letting it graze the tender skin, causing his demon to giggle. Lucifer reveled in the lovely, lighthearted sound.  
  
Bracing himself up with his left arm, he began kissing and licking a path around his demon's right breast while using his free hand to stroke a mirroring track around her left one. He slowly circled the soft mounds again and again in a spiral that drew ever closer to their peaks.  
  
Mazikeen was vocal in her approval, encouraging him with every moan and cry of pleasure, urging him to go faster, to give her more. Finally he reached the tips of her breasts, kissing and licking her nipple while he stroked the other one with his fingertips. His demon was panting and writhing beneath him, and if he guessed correctly, rapidly approaching her climax. With a grin, Lucifer wrapped his lips around the little nub of flesh and sucked hard, at the same time pinching its twin sharply.  
  
"Lucifer!"  
  
Hearing her scream his name in pleasure was almost enough to make the Devil follow his demon over the edge. Perhaps it was fortunate that the rest of her reactions proved sufficiently distracting. Lucifer was nearly thrown off the bed as Mazikeen's whole body convulsed with the power of her orgasm, her back arching until only her shoulders were still touching the bed. He scrambled to regain his balance, keeping his gaze fixed on her as he sat back.  
  
A fine sheen of sweat was covering his demon's body, making her skin glisten in the dim light of his bedroom. Her head was thrown back, her one lidded eye closed tightly while the lidless one stared up at the ceiling unseeingly. Mazikeen's beautiful mouth was open, sharp breaths and low, keening sounds escaping her as her whole body was wracked with shudders.  
  
Lucifer let his gaze travel over her, drinking in every detail. Her chest was heaving, those lovely breasts he had just been worshipping were rising and falling with every gasping breath she took. Her thighs were clenched tightly together, her calves taut, her toes curled inward so hard the knuckles were white. Mazikeen's arms were stretched out to the sides, her hands clutching the bedsheets so tightly it was a miracle that she hadn't torn them. She hung on almost desperately as she rode the crest of her climax , seemingly needing to anchor herself, to keep hold of something tangible as her senses were overwhelmed with pleasure.  
  
Seeing her like this was mesmerizing, breathtaking. Warmth filled him at the knowledge that he was responsible. He had caused this, had made her react so strongly, had given her all this pleasure. And she had allowed him to do this, had granted him the privilege to be the one who made her lose control like that. She had chosen him, had given him this power over her.  
  
The Devil was no stranger to the pleasures of wielding power. He knew the rush, the triumph, the sense of satisfaction it could give you, as well as the fury, despair, and hatred that came with being helplessly under another's power. But this was something entirely different. No exercising of his own powers had ever felt like this. Not his intellectual or physical triumphs over his siblings, not his defiance of his father, not the various victories over rebellious demons here in Hell.  
  
This was power freely given, and it filled him with a joy that was purer than any he had ever felt before. It was awesome and utterly intoxicating. He wondered if Mazikeen had felt the same when she had given pleasure to him. He certainly hoped so.  
  
Gradually, the tremors running through his demon subsided, tense muscles relaxed, and she sank back into the bed with a sigh. Lucifer's gaze returned to her face just in time to see her human eye flutter open. Mazikeen turned her head slightly and gave him a soft, open smile that made him smile, too.  
  
"Thank you, Lucifer."  
  
The Devil's smile morphed into a smirk. "There's no need to thank me, my darling. I won't claim that the pleasure was all mine, but I certainly enjoyed myself." His smirk widened. "I liked it. All of it."  
  
Mazikeen's laughter rang out, this light, joyous sound that was so very out of place in the home of the damned. To Lucifer, it was more beautiful than any heavenly choir, and he silently vowed to himself that he would do everything in his power to make her laugh like this as often as possible. Grinning happily, he leaned forward until their lips were almost touching.  
  
"And I'm not done yet."  
  
His demon smirked and gave him a quick, hard kiss. "Then you should get on with it, don't you think?"  
  
"Minx." Laughing lightly, he bit her lovely bottom lip, drawing a deep groan from her. As Mazikeen reached up to pull him into another kiss, he twisted out of her grasp and moved a bit further down the bed, placing a quick kiss in the valley between her breasts before turning his attentions to the smooth expanse of skin below them. He licked a line across her torso, his cheek brushing the undersides of her breasts as he did so. Lucifer didn't think he would ever get enough of her taste, of feeling her silky skin slide against his tongue, of hearing her breath hitch when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. It was all positively addictive.  
  
He kissed and nibbled a path along her ribs, loving the way it made Mazikeen moan and squirm beneath him. Slowly, he moved lower with his ministrations, until he reached her belly button. With a smirk, he stabbed his tongue firmly into the small depression, probing every twist and fold of her flesh. His demon giggled and tried to push him away, but Lucifer refused to give in, continuing his explorations for a little while longer before finally relenting. He placed a reverential kiss on her navel and then pulled back for a moment to look at the woman in his bed.  
  
Mazikeen really was a breathtaking sight, her dark hair fanned out across the pillows, her skin flushed and glistening with perspiration, her beautiful features glowing with pleasure. As he looked on, a small pout began forming on her face, and Lucifer chuckled. Patience was definitely not one of his demon's virtues, but he couldn't fault her for that. It wasn't one of his, either.  
  
Grinning at the annoyed look she was shooting him, the Devil bent down again and pressed his lips to the middle of her lower belly. For a few moments, he paused there, unmoving, until he could feel Mazikeen's muscles tense as she prepared to move. Right at that moment, he opened his mouth slightly and sucked hard at her skin, his cheeks hollowing with the effort. As his demon cried out in pleasure, he took more of her flesh into his mouth, stroking it with his tongue before scraping his teeth over the now sensitized skin.  
  
With a growl, Mazikeen arched up, one hand taking hold of the back of his head and pressing him more firmly against her.  
  
"Yes! More!"  
  
Laughing softly, Lucifer bit her, pulling on her soft flesh with his teeth, to his demon's vocal approval. He released his hold and soothed the spot with his tongue before repeating the actions a few inches to the right.  
  
Mazikeen's thighs had fallen open at some point, and Lucifer now nudged her legs further apart until he could settle between them. Slowly, he moved lower, sucking, biting, and licking a meandering way to his demon's hip. A bite to the spot where her left hip bone jutted out beneath her skin made her cry out and buck, prompting him to take hold of her and push her back down. Grinning wickedly, he trailed a line of licks and bites across to her other hip, staying just above her pubic area.  
  
Lucifer placed a bite over her hipbone and then followed the line between leg and torso until he reached Mazikeen's curls. There he veered off sharply, but instead of finally turning his attentions to her sex like she clearly wanted and expected, he began working his way down her thigh.  
  
It was too much. This time, there was a distinct warning in her growl, and she gave him a not at all gentle shove with her leg.  
  
"No. No more teasing. Suck me."  
  
Lucifer was grinning as he looked up, fully prepared to ignore her demands and tease her some more, but then he saw her expression. Mazikeen's eyes were boring into him with a blistering glare. Her face was still glowing, but now there was frustration mixed in with the pleasure, as well as a certain tightness, a tension that indicated that she was only restraining herself with some effort. This was not what he wanted. His intention was to give her pleasure, to make her enjoy his ministrations as much as he had enjoyed hers. Not to annoy and frustrate her. His grin softened into a somewhat abashed smile.  
  
"As you wish, my darling."  
  
He bowed down his head and without further ado placed a kiss on the lips of her sex and then sucked them into his mouth. Her taste exploded on his tongue, fresh, and tangy, and slightly musky, unlike anything he had ever tasted before. Delicious. The Devil dimly heard his demon cry out for more as he stretched out his tongue and began licking her, exploring her every fold and crevice. He wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment. More was exactly what he wanted. More of her scent, her taste, her heat against his face, more of the lovely sounds she was making.  
  
Reaching out with his right hand, he gently spread her open for his delectation, then proceeded to lick and suck his way up to her clit. He circled the hard nub with his tongue and flicked it several times, making Mazikeen buck and writhe. Nibbling lightly along her inner labia, he moved down until he reached the opening of her vagina.  
  
Lucifer ran his tongue across his demon's entrance a couple of times before slowly pressing the tip inside. Mazikeen thrust her hips up, doing her best to force him in deeper. An impressive string of curses and threats flowed from her lips when he pulled back for a moment to adjust his position. The threats immediately became encouragements when he pushed his tongue into her again, as far as it could possibly go.  
  
He thrust in and out of the hot, tight sheath of her body several times, loving the way she tasted, the sounds he was eliciting. It was wonderful, but he quickly realized that Mazikeen needed more. Lucifer replaced his tongue with first one, then two, and finally three fingers. As he pumped them in and out in a steady rhythm, he licked and sucked his demon's soft folds until he reached her clit once again.  
  
By now, Mazikeen's inner walls were quivering around his fingers, warning him that she was getting close to coming again. He licked her clit with brief, fast flicks of his tongue, then pressed down on it firmly while he fastened his lips to her and sucked hard. At the same time he pushed his fingers as deeply into her as possible and twisted them, stroking the walls of her slick, hot channel.  
  
Mazikeen came with another scream of his name. Lucifer's eyes widened as her inner muscles clamped down on his digits with demonic strength, holding them in an iron grip as her walls began to pulse. He wondered what it would be like to have her grip another part of his body like that. The thought alone was enough to draw a deep groan from him.  
  
His demon cried out at the vibrations against her sensitive clit, and Lucifer drew back, not wanting to give her too much stimulation and accidentally cross the line between pleasure and torment. He rested his head on her right thigh and looked up at her. A warm sense of satisfaction filled him as he watched Mazikeen ride out her orgasm. He was responsible for these reactions. His ministrations had done this to her. Knowing that filled him with a warmth and lightness which it took him a moment to identify. Happiness. Giving all this pleasure made him happy. It had been a long time since he had last been happy.   
  
Mazikeen finally relaxed and sank back into the bed, humming contentedly. A sated smile covered her face as she looked at him. With a mischievous smirk, Lucifer withdrew his fingers from her body, earning a wordless, mewling sound of protest. He lifted his hand to his face and sucked the digits into his mouth one by one, demonstratively cleaning off his demon's juices. Mazikeen's lips parted as she watched intently, her breathing growing deeper again as her gaze remained fixed on his mouth.   
  
Lucifer released the last finger from his mouth with a pop, winking up at her as he did so. His demon laughed softly and licked her lips. Then she pushed herself up and reached for him, grasping his hand and pulling him up towards her. Lucifer cooperated readily, rising onto his hands and knees and moving up her body until they were face to face. Mazikeen lay back again, her head resting on the pillows, and he leaned down and kissed her. She responded enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close.   
  
The Devil propped himself up on his elbows as he lowered himself onto her body. A deep groan escaped him when his hard cock brushed against her hot sex. His demon moaned and thrust up her hips, rubbing herself against him. They continued to kiss, rapidly growing more passionate, hands starting to roam over each other's bodies. Mazikeen wrapped her legs around him, and Lucifer started thrusting, instinctively seeking out more.  
  
When his demon worked her fingers between the feathers at the bases of his wings and began stroking and scratching the skin, he pulled away sharply.  
  
"Stop."  
  
Mazikeen stilled completely, looking up at him with a mixture of concern, confusion, and a hint of disappointment. He gave her a wry smile and tried to explain. "Too much. I don't... I want to..."   
  
His hips jerked slightly, and his demon hissed in pleasure.   
  
"Yes!" She looked up at him, her expression fierce. "Do it."  
  
Lucifer sagged against her for a moment, relieved that she understood his need, and shared his desire. Then he pushed himself up just enough to reach between them, wrapped his hand around his cock, and positioned himself right at her entrance. He locked eyes with his demon as he began to push into her slowly, wanting to give them both time to adjust to these new, intense sensations, unwilling to risk hurting her. Mazikeen, however, had other plans.   
  
Tightening her legs around him, she pushed up her hips, driving him into her in one deep, hard thrust. Lucifer's wings flared out and his eyes rolled back at the overwhelming feeling of her tight, wet heat surrounding him. Just like when she had cleaned his wings earlier, waves of pleasure rolled over him, threatening to drown out everything else.  He scrambled desperately to hold on to some shred of self control, to stop himself from coming right this moment, withdrawing halfway in an attempt to lessen the intensity of the sensations.   
  
His demon was having none of it. Once again she raised her hips and tightened the hold of her legs on him, pulling him back into her. The moment his cock was buried to the root inside her, Mazikeen gave a keening cry of pleasure and triumph as her inner muscles began to spasm, clamping down on him with demonic strength as she came.  
  
It was too much. Lucifer tried to hold off his own climax, wanting to savor the experience of her coming undone around him, but the pleasure he was feeling was overwhelming, whiting out his senses as his orgasm crashed through him.  
  
When consciousness returned, he found himself lying on top of his demon, his full weight resting on her and pushing her into the mattress. He raised himself on his elbows and pulled back. The movement made him aware of his wings. They were spread out, completely relaxed and limp, hanging off the bed on both sides. He took a second to lift them and tuck them away.  
  
Mazikeen's legs had released their hold on him at some point, but as soon as she felt him draw away from her she wrapped them around him again, keeping his hips pressed against hers. His cock was still sheathed inside her, and still hard. Lucifer pushed against her hold for a moment, and she gave a wordless whine of protest. The sound made him freeze, and then settle back down, keeping as much of his weight off her as he could.   
  
"Sorry." He gave her an apologetic smile.   
  
His demon frowned at him in confusion. "What for?"  
  
"For almost crushing you. And for, you know..." He trailed off, not wanting to admit out loud that he had completely lost control of himself and come like some mortal boy who tried sex for the first time. Yes, technically this was his first time, but he was the Lord of Hell, a former archangel. He should be better than this. Once again, he felt the phantom sensation of a blush spreading across his face.  
  
A scoff drew his attention back to Mazikeen, who was rolling her eyes at him.   
  
"Alright, first of all, you didn't crush me. I'm a demon, I can handle a bit of weight, and you're not that heavy." She shrugged, the movement making her nipples brush against his chest in a delightfully distracting way. "It was kind of nice, actually."  
  
Lucifer smiled at that, surprised and pleased, earning another eye roll.  
  
"And in case you didn't notice, I just came, too. So you don't need to apologize for that one, either." Her expression became suspicious. "Unless you're planning to stop now."  
  
"No!" The smirk his exclamation received made Lucifer squirm, drawing a low moan from his demon. He grinned, then became serious for a moment. "I'll only stop if you want me to."  
  
In response, Mazikeen growled and thrust up against him, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer. The Devil's face broke into a wide smile as his lips brushed against hers. "I'll take that as a no."  
  
His demon crushed her mouth against his, kissing him deeply. Lucifer began moving, thrusting in and out of her wet heat in a slow rhythm, gradually increasing the speed as she urged him on. It was wonderful, better than he could have ever imagined. This, right here, being joined with this exquisite being, moving together, each giving and receiving pleasure equally, this was his own personal Heaven.  
  
Mazikeen continued to kiss him, her tongue sliding against his, moving in counterpoint to the actions of their lower bodies. Her hands were roaming all over his arms, shoulders, and back, stroking his skin. When her blunt fingernails scratched long lines down his spine, the unexpected spike of pleasure had a dramatic effect on the Devil. With a whoosh of displaced air, his wings unfurled and flared out, twitching excitedly.  
  
Laughter echoed through the bedroom, light and pure and full of amusement, but without any malice. Lucifer gave his demon a look, trying to remain stern in the face of her obvious delight at having caused such an impressive reaction. He stilled his movements and took a moment to tuck his wings away again. This earned him a soft whine and a pout from Mazikeen. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she gave a small shrug, but remained silent.   
  
Just as he was about to resume his thrusting, a smirk spread across his demon's features, and the next moment, her inner muscles were squeezing him firmly. Lucifer's eyes very nearly rolled back in his head from the sudden wave of pleasure that ran through him, and his wings once again unfurled and flared out, giving an involuntary flap. He glared down at Mazikeen, but the gesture remained halfhearted. She just grinned up at him unrepentantly.   
  
"Oops."  
  
And then she reached up and buried her fingers in his feathers, stroking the sensitive skin beneath them, and Lucifer decided to let her have her way, this time. Besides, even if he managed to tuck his wings away again now, he doubted that he'd be able to keep them in. That was something he'd have to work on. Because he hoped that this was only the first of many times that Mazikeen and he explored the pleasures of sex together, and he already had some ideas for the next time. And having his wings out would be a serious inconvenience for a few of those ideas.   
  
During his musings, he had resumed his movements, driving himself in and out of his demon's hot, tight channel with ever increasing speed, to her vocal approval. Now, he felt the first tremors of an approaching orgasm run through her body. With a smirk, he propped himself up on one elbow, just enough to slide his free hand between their bodies until his index finger found Mazikeen's clit. He circled the hard little nub a few times and then pressed down on it firmly.  
  
His demon fairly exploded beneath him as her climax hit, arching her back, slamming their hips together as her inner walls began to pulse around him. She pulled her hands away from his wings, something Lucifer was profoundly grateful for since she immediately grabbed his shoulders with her full demonic strength, her fingers digging painfully into his flesh, her blunt nails leaving deep, crescent shaped gouges.    
  
This time, the Devil managed to stave off his own orgasm, instead drinking in the full scope of hers, sights, sounds, and sensations. Mazikeen had given a sharp cry the moment she tumbled over the edge, but now she made a series of moans and whimpering sounds as she rode out her climax. Her mouth was open, those beautiful lips trembling slightly as her breath escaped her in harsh gasps that made her chest heave. She had once again closed her human eye tightly, while the lidless, demonic one stared unseeingly up at the ceiling. Her whole body was tense, shaking from the force of her orgasm, while her inner muscles were contracting rhythmically around his cock.  
  
It was truly awesome, and the knowledge that he was responsible for it, that he had given this to her, gave him a rush unlike anything he had ever felt before.   
  
Lucifer removed his hand from between them so he could once again rest more comfortably on both elbows, but otherwise remained still, allowing Mazikeen to slowly come down from her climax. When she finally relaxed completely and only an occasional flutter of her inner walls remained, he reached out and gently brushed a few tendrils of dark hair away from her forehead.   
  
His demon leaned into the touch, humming contentedly, and Lucifer smiled at how responsive she was. Even now, with post-orgasmic languor fogging her senses and slowing her reactions, every small touch from him still managed to elicit an immediate response. He loved it, delighting in every little sound, every movement she made.  
  
Mazikeen opened her eye and gave him one of her beautiful, soft smiles. Reaching up, she stroked the side of his head for a moment before pulling him down into a tender kiss.   
  
"Thank you."   
  
Her voice was a low murmur, her lips brushing against his as they formed the words. Lucifer pulled back slightly, just enough to be able to look into her eyes without having to strain his.  
  
"There's really no need for you to thank me, my darling. I assure you, I'm enjoying our activities just as much as you are."   
  
He winked at her and shifted slightly, reminding her that his hard length was still sheathed inside her. Immediately, Mazikeen moaned and tightened her legs around him. Then she paused and gave him a confused frown.  
  
"You didn't come?"  
  
Lucifer shook his head, smiling at her reassuringly. "No, though not because of any lack of encouragement from you." His demon raised an enquiring eyebrow, prompting him to explain, "I wanted to experience your climax without being distracted by my own."  
  
Mazikeen stared up at him in surprise, and Lucifer watched in fascination as the skin of her human looking cheek darkened slightly with a blush.   
  
"And was it as you expected it to be, my Lord?"  
  
"Lucifer." He corrected her gently, and then shook his head. "It was so much better than I could have ever imagined. Truly awe inspiring."   
  
He leaned down and nuzzled her demonic cheek, and Mazikeen automatically tilted her head to give him better access.  
  
"You, my darling, are absolutely magnificent. Thank you for doing me the honor of sharing this with me."  
  
"There's really no need for you to thank me, Lucifer. I assure you, I'm enjoying our activities just as much as you are."   
  
The Devil pulled back to find his demon smirking at him. He laughed softly and shook his head. "Oh, well played, Mazikeen my darling. Well played indeed."  
  
She gave him a pleased and somewhat smug grin, preening under his praise. Giving her a smirk of his own, he swooped in and wiped hers off with a kiss. His demon responded happily, winding her arms around his neck as Lucifer slowly started moving in and out of her again.   
  
It didn't take long until they were both approaching another orgasm. Mazikeen's hands once again found his wings and she began playing with them, stroking his feathers before slipping her fingers between them and scratching lightly at the skin. Lucifer retaliated by sliding his hand between their bodies to play with her clit while simultaneously placing teasing licks and bites along the elegant column of her neck.  
  
"Mazikeen!" "Lucifer!"  
  
They cried out each other's names simultaneously as they pushed each other over the edge. Once more, Lucifer felt his orgasm crash through him, sweeping away all conscious thought.   
  
Just like the last time, he found himself lying fully on top of his demon when he became aware of his surroundings again. Mazikeen lay quiet and relaxed beneath him, apparently still out of it. Lucifer tucked his wings away and rolled off her, letting himself collapse onto the bed next to her. His demon made a small sound of protest and turned towards him, instinctively seeking him out. She moved over until she managed to curl up against his side, one arm and one leg thrown over him, her head resting on his shoulder. Once she had achieved this apparently satisfactory position, she gave a contented sigh and relaxed again.  
  
A happy smile spread across the Devil's face as he wrapped his arm around her. This was nice. Having her pressed against him like this, holding her close, felt good, natural, right. His eyes drifted closed as he lay there, simply enjoying the afterglow.  
  
After a while, Lucifer became aware that Mazikeen had started drawing abstract patterns on his chest with her fingertips. He tilted his head to look at her, but her eye was still closed. Wondering if she was awake or if this was some unconscious action of hers, he gently ran his own fingertips down her spine. His demon reacted immediately, arching her back and giving a pleased hum. Her human eye opened and she raised her head slightly to look at him.  
  
"Hey."   
  
"Hey to you, too, my darling Mazikeen." Lucifer's smile widened at the way her lips quirked at his greeting.  
  
"Please tell me we're going to do this again."  
  
The Devil laughed happily. "Oh, rest assured my darling, we are most definitely going to do this again, if you want to." At that moment, a powerful yawn overcame him. "Though perhaps not right now."  
  
Mazikeen yawned, too, and then laughed and shook her head in agreement.   
  
"Perhaps we should rest a little while."  
  
She lay her head back down onto his shoulder, and Lucifer pulled her close, perfectly content to lie there and rest with his demon in his arms.   
  
He was just drifting off to sleep when Mazikeen stirred, pushing herself up to a sitting position.  
  
"I should leave now, so you can sleep in peace."  
  
She sounded reluctant, almost regretful. It seemed obvious to the Devil that his demon didn't want to leave. As he wondered why she would do it then, Mazikeen began to slide off the bed. In a flash, Lucifer reached out and touched her arm, stilling her movement.  
  
"Stay." She looked back at him in surprise, and he gave her a small smile and a half shrug. "The bed is more than big enough for both of us. Stay if you want to."  
  
"Do you want me to stay, Lucifer?"  
  
He smiled softly. "Yes. I'd like you to stay, but only if you want to."  
  
Mazikeen smiled at him and moved closer again, but then she hesitated. "You'd really trust me enough to let me stay here, while you're sleeping?"  
  
"Shouldn't I trust you, my darling?" Lucifer asked lightly.  
  
She shrugged and looked away. "I am a demon."   
  
Her tone implied that this fact was reason enough not to trust her. And under ordinary circumstances, Lucifer would have agreed. Demons generally were treacherous, duplicitous creatures. Not trustworthy at all. But Mazikeen was different. And yet... she still was a demon.  
  
Lucifer was beginning to understand why she had been prepared to leave, despite clearly not wanting to go. There were rules. Demons were not allowed inside his private quarters except with his explicit permission. The servants came in every day to clean the rooms, of course, but they did it while he was out. If he returned while they were still working, they had to stop and leave immediately, unless he ordered them to stay. And while he was in his chambers, they were only allowed to enter if he summoned them.  
  
The one exception to these rules was his personal manservant Pruflas, who had permission to enter Lucifer's private apartments unannounced. However, the only time the cat-headed demon actually did so was in the mornings when he came in to wake up his master. At all other times, he preferred to step only so far as the antechamber, and there ring the small gong that would alert his Lord to his presence.  
  
Allowing Mazikeen to spend the night here, in his bedroom, in his bed, was a different matter. Completely unprecedented.   
  
He wanted to trust her. His instincts were telling him that he could trust her. But could he rely on these instincts? He had only just met Mazikeen, and in the short time they'd been together so far, he had continuously underestimated her. What if he was doing it again?  
  
Looking at his demon, he found her watching him with a steady, impassive expression. But beneath it, Lucifer fancied he could detect a hint of resignation. Mazikeen expected him to refuse to trust her. This realization rankled. The Devil hated being predictable. His thoughts raced, looking for a way out of this dilemma. Finally, he looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"I want to trust you, Mazikeen. And I think I could do it, under the right circumstances."  
  
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "And what circumstances would that be?"  
  
Lucifer smiled wryly. "If I could be sure of your loyalty, it would be easy to trust you."  
  
"I swore an oath of loyalty to you when I became a servant in your household." There was a hint of a challenge in her voice, a certain gleam in her eyes.  
  
"So did the last five demons who tried to assassinate me. Two of them were among your predecessors in the position of bath attendant, by the way." Lucifer smirked at the way his demon's lips curled disdainfully. "I think we both know that the oath is nothing more than an administrative formality, barely worth the breath it takes to say it."  
  
Mazikeen nodded. "You want me to make a stronger, more binding vow."  
  
Lucifer inclined his head. "I would like to offer you a deal. Your loyalty for my trust. Swear complete loyalty to me, with an oath that actually carries weight, and in return you shall have my complete trust." He smiled softly at her. "You could be my trusted companion, my confidante."  
  
His demon stared at him in surprise for a second, and then opened her mouth to answer. Lucifer quickly reached up and placed a finger on her lips, stopping her.  
  
"Think about it carefully before you agree, Mazikeen. A deal with the Devil is a serious matter." She pulled back slightly and closed her mouth, her expression serious. He lowered his hand before continuing. "You don't have to do this. As I told you before, your position in my household is secure. And we can still enjoy each other's company without the deal."  
  
"I understand."  
  
She remained silent for a few moments, and then sat up straight and looked him in the eyes, her expression serious and determined.   
  
"I accept your deal, Lucifer."  
  
A bright smile spread across his face, only to turn into a confused frown when Mazikeen got off the bed in one fluid movement and sank to her knees on the polished stone floor of his bedroom. He slid over to the edge of the bed and sat there, giving his demon an inquiring look.  
  
"Would you happen to have a knife I could borrow for a moment, my Lord?"  
  
Lucifer raised his eyebrows, wondering for a second what she was up to. Then he mentally slapped himself. Really, it was obvious, between the deal they had just agreed on, the kneeling, and the request for a knife. Mazikeen wanted to make a blood oath to swear her loyalty to him.  
  
It was a good choice. Blood oaths were strongly binding and carried an automatic backlash against the oath-breaker. The severity of this backlash varied according to the strength and power of those who had taken part in the oath. A blood oath with the Devil would carry a crippling, potentially even fatal backlash.  
  
With a flick of his fingers, Lucifer summoned a small knife to his hand. It was too small to be dangerous, hardly more than a toy, but sufficient for the job. He presented it to Mazikeen with a small flourish. His demon's mouth quirked into a wry smile as she took the diminutive blade from him. She held it loosely in her right hand, going still, her gaze lowered to the floor as she braced herself, or perhaps collected her thoughts.   
  
Then she took a deep breath and spoke. "I, Mazikeen of the Lilim, call upon Hell itself to witness my vow. I hereby swear that from now on and for all eternity, my complete loyalty shall be to Lucifer, and only to him."  
  
With that, she drew the little blade across the palm of her left hand, opening a shallow gash. Raising the hand, she let several drops of blood fall onto the stone floor, fashioned from the fabric of Hell itself.  
  
The moment the first drop of blood hit the floor, there was a thrum of energy as the blood oath was sealed. Lucifer could feel it, despite not being a participant in the oath. That shouldn't have been possible. He stared in open mouthed shock at his demon, who had slumped forward and was breathing hard, clearly feeling the effects. Mazikeen had just made a blood oath, not with the Devil, but with Hell itself. He wondered if she had any conception of just how incredibly foolhardy and dangerous that had been.  
  
Hell was not just a place. It was an entity of its own, not exactly alive, but with its own spirit and will. Its own soul, if you wanted to put it that way. And it was extremely old and powerful. Lucifer himself was a very powerful archangel, perhaps even the most powerful one. But he knew that he was only the King of Hell because Hell had accepted him as such. If it hadn't, well, he might have been strong enough to defeat and subdue it, but that was far from certain.  
  
Lucifer had a healthy respect for Hell's power. And he knew that it did not take kindly to creatures calling on it for frivolous reasons, or trying to use its powers for their own goals. To call upon it to witness an oath was daring. But to make it the participant and guarantor in a blood oath, an oath that formed an unbreakable bond between oath-taker and guarantor, was audacious on a suicidal level.  
  
And yet, Hell had not only refrained from annihilating Mazikeen for her presumptuousness,  it had actually done as she asked. This meant something, but for the life of him Lucifer couldn't imagine what.  
  
His attention was drawn back to his demon when she lifted her hand and began licking the cut in her palm. The Devil watched in fascination as her tongue darted out to lap up the blood in a manner that was surprisingly erotic. Mazikeen continued cleaning the wound in this way until all that remained was a faint pink line which was fading rapidly. Then she turned her attention to the knife and quickly licked it clean, too. Lucifer suppressed a groan at the sight, wondering what it would feel like to have her lick him like that. He pushed the enticing mental images away, saving them for a future occasion. Right now, he had a deal to complete.  
  
Mazikeen offered the cleaned knife up to him and he took it from her and set it aside. He wouldn't be needing it for his part of their deal.  
  
"Thank you for your vow of loyalty, Mazikeen of the Lilim." His demon inclined her head at his formal acknowledgment of her vow. "I believe it's my turn now."  
  
He paused for a moment, and then spoke, his voice low but ringing with the power of the King of Hell. "I, Lucifer, hereby solemnly swear that from now on until the end of time, Mazikeen of the Lilim shall have my complete trust. May Hell be my witness."  
  
Instantly, he felt the answering thrum of power from his kingdom as it acknowledged his vow. No blood was needed to seal it, he and Hell were already connected. Mazikeen gave a gasp, her eyes wide with surprise, and he wondered if this was simply because she hadn't expected him to make a formal vow, too, or if she had actually felt the energy, like he had when she made hers.  
  
His demon opened her mouth, then paused and visibly composed herself. "Thank you for your vow, Lucifer." Again she paused a moment, and then burst out: "You didn't have to do that. Why did you?"  
  
Lucifer smiled at her, but inwardly he was wondering the same thing. Their deal had not demanded any formal, binding vow from him. So why had he done it? He couldn't pinpoint a reason, except that it felt right.   
  
"Quid pro quo, my darling. After the vow you gave, it is only appropriate that I return the favor."  
  
Yes, that was it. Mazikeen had gone far beyond the expected, giving a vow that removed all possibility of doubting her loyalty. If she had done just an ordinary blood vow, there were potentially situations where he might have found himself struggling to trust her completely. Not so now. His demon had spared him this struggle with her actions. She had done him a favor, and that demanded repayment.   
  
"Now that our deal is complete, let's get back into bed and sleep, shall we?"  
  
Mazikeen nodded, and then her gaze dropped to his groin and a smirk appeared on her face. She placed a hand on his knee and slowly ran it up his thigh, towards his already half-hard cock.  
  
"Are you sure sleep is what you want, Lucifer?"  
  
The Devil groaned. "You're an insatiable minx, aren't you?"  
  
"Is that a problem?"  
  
"Oh no. I wouldn't say that," Lucifer purred as he pulled her into his arms. "Definitely not a problem."  
  
He kissed her deeply and then let himself fall back onto the bed, holding her tightly and pulling her down with him. As soon as they landed he rolled them both over until he was lying in the middle of the bed with his demon on top of him.   
  
Mazikeen laughed as he grinned at her, and then pushed herself up into a sitting position, straddling his hips. Lucifer ran his hands down her flanks and around to her buttocks, cupping them and giving them a playful squeeze. His demon responded by thrusting her hips forward, rubbing herself against him and making them both moan in pleasure. They kept this up for a little while, but soon the stimulation became too much and at the same time not enough.  
  
Wordlessly he urged her to rise up on her knees, and Mazikeen complied eagerly, reaching between them to take a firm hold of his cock and guide him into her as she sank down again. For a moment, they both remained motionless, just taking in the sensations of being so intimately connected. Then Mazikeen squeezed him with her inner muscles, Lucifer bucked up instinctively, and they began to move.   
  
It was wonderful, perfect, just as he had imagined it would be. Having his demon on top, riding him, gave him the opportunity of watching her. And what a sight she was. Her beautiful body moving gracefully, her face suffused with pleasure, her head thrown back, exposing the elegant column of her neck. Her perfect breasts were bouncing slightly every time their hips met, and it was mesmerizing and enticing.   
  
Finally, Lucifer couldn't resist any longer. He pulled himself up until he could kiss and lick those beautiful mounds. His change of position was met with vocal approval from his demon. She wrapped her legs around him and squirmed in his lap until he spread his own legs, allowing her to sink down on him more deeply.   
  
When he took one of her nipples between his teeth and tugged playfully, her inner walls clamped down on him with her full demonic strength as she hissed in pleasure. Once again, the Devil's wings unfurled and twitched excitedly, visible proof of his pleasure. Mazikeen made a throaty sound, somewhere between a moan and a chuckle, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her nimble fingers seeking out his feathers.   
  
Smirking around the breast he was currently sucking, Lucifer brought his wings forward and wrapped them around his demon, brushing his feathers against her skin. His eyes promptly rolled back in his head at the intensity of the sensations. Perhaps he should have expected them, but he had never touched anybody like that with his wings. It felt like every nerve ending in his feathered appendages was on fire, and the conflagration was racing inwards, unstoppable, consuming everything in its way.  
  
He had just time enough to register that Mazikeen was once again screaming his name in pleasure as she came before he lost all conscious awareness as his own orgasm swept over him.  
  
Lucifer woke to find himself lying rather uncomfortably on his back with his wings spread out beneath him, and his demon's legs still wrapped around him. With a groan, he pushed himself up and tucked his wings away. Mazikeen took the opportunity to unwrap her legs, allowing the Devil to collapse back onto the bed with a sigh of relief.  
  
While he lay there, still breathing rather hard, he felt the mattress shift as his demon pushed herself up enough to crawl up and lie down beside him. Lucifer turned to look at her, wondering why she wasn't touching him. He caught Mazikeen looking at him with something like longing in her eyes. As soon as she noticed his attention, that look disappeared, hidden behind a smile. Did she think he didn't want to have her in his arms, now that they were just going to sleep?   
  
Smiling at her in what he hoped was a reassuring and inviting manner, Lucifer lifted his arm and made a short movement with his head. His demon's smile brightened and she immediately scooted over, curling up against his side like she had done before. A contented sigh escaped her as she lay her head down on his shoulder. Lucifer responded with a happy hum, wrapping his arm around her to pull her closer.  
  
A flick of his fingers brought the comforter up to cover them. He turned his head and pressed a soft kiss to Mazikeen's forehead, right on the dividing line between the human and the demonic half of her face.   
  
"Goodnight, my darling Mazikeen."  
  
His demon briefly lifted her head and smiled at him. "Goodnight, Lucifer."  
  
For the first time ever, the King of Hell drifted off to sleep with a happy smile on his face.  
  
******  
  
Mazikeen lay awake long after Lucifer had fallen asleep. Weeks' worth of tension took time to drain away, even with the blissful languor caused by their recent activities. And her mind was too busy to sink into the sweet oblivion her body craved.   
  
Besides, her current situation would have made sleep difficult in any case. Unfamiliar surroundings, where she didn't know all possible exits and entry points. Sharing sleeping quarters with another being, when she could hardly remember a time when she hadn't slept alone. And of course the fact that she didn't have her knives. All of that left her on edge, expecting an attack at any moment.  
  
She told herself firmly, for perhaps the fifth time, that she was safe here. This was the bedroom of the King of Hell. The only possible threat to her in here was Lucifer himself, and he had made a deal with her. The Devil did not break his deals.  
  
Slowly, some of the tension drained out of her. It didn't stop her mind from whirling, though.  
  
Her plan had worked. Mazikeen allowed herself a silent chuckle. That was the understatement of the millennium. Her plan had succeeded far beyond her wildest dreams. Even in her most audacious flights of fancy, she had never imagined that Lucifer would offer her a deal, and a place at his side. As for becoming his lover, that had been completely unthinkable.   
  
No, her plan had been simple. Sign on as a lowly member of the Devil's personal household. Find a job that offered direct access to the Lord of Hell, but preferably one that did not carry much prestige, so as to avoid vicious rivals. And then catch the King's attention by excelling at that job, and so gain his personal protection.  
  
It still angered her that she needed this protection. Some of it had been bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there was no denying that she had been stupid, too, letting her pride get the better of her not once, but twice.  
  
When she had accidentally caught the attention of Garux, she should have kept in mind that he was the favored younger son of one of Hell's most powerful Dukes. But she had publicly shot down his advances instead of finding a more indirect way of getting rid of him. Stupid.   
  
She had been pissed off at the presumptuous attitude of that spoiled brat, of him daring to act like he would be doing her a favor by fucking her. As if his attentions were an honor, when she had refused much better men and women than him. And so she had let her anger and pride get the better of her, rejecting him in front of several of his hangers-on.  
  
The news had spread quickly, of course. Mazikeen had known that even if Garux had been willing to accept the rejection - which he definitely hadn't - the humiliation of having it be widely known guaranteed that he would come after her. So she had been prepared for his attack. And therefore, she had no excuse for her actions when it happened.  
  
Garux chose to make his move in front of as many witnesses as possible, arranging for the presence not only of his usual circle of sycophants and a good number of servants, but also several demons who owed allegiance to his father's greatest rivals and enemies. The scene was perfectly set for his great triumph over that insolent creature who had dared to defy him. Of course, that set up had meant that he actually had to take her on his own, instead of letting his henchmen do the dirty work and then stepping in to claim the victory. And this fact had been Mazikeen's downfall.  
  
The prudent, the wise thing to do would have been to pretend that he was the stronger one, and then 'accidentally' land one 'lucky' blow that would allow her to escape. But once again, she had let her pride get the better of her. The thought of pretending that a sniveling wuss like Garux could be a match for her had been too distasteful to bear. And so she had not held back, defeating him soundly and doing nothing to disguise the fact that it had been ridiculously easy for her to reduce the spoiled brat to a cringing, whimpering heap on the floor.   
  
It was a deadly insult, not only to Garux, but to his father, the Duke. Even if Mazikeen had been her mother's favorite daughter, it would have been a most inadvisable, dangerous move. But she had never enjoyed her mother's favor, and it was well known that Lilith had banished her headstrong, rebellious daughter, abandoning her to her fate. In this position, giving such an insult to one of the most powerful and well-connected Dukes of Hell was nothing short of suicidally stupid.  
  
The Duke would send his men after her to make an example of her. And no matter how quick and clever Mazikeen was, she knew very well that sooner or later her luck would run out and they'd get her. No, her only hope for escaping a fate most definitely worse than death had been to find a protector.   
  
The list of possible candidates for this role was short. There were the Duke's rivals and enemies, of course, but Mazikeen had dismissed them immediately. Even if she were foolish enough to believe that they wouldn't sell her out to the Duke, the price they would demand for their protection would have been too high.  
  
That left only one choice. The one being in Hell that even the most powerful demons feared. Lucifer.   
  
And so she had left her job as one of the best torturers Hell had ever seen, left the life she had so painstakingly built for herself, and set out to gain the protection of the Devil. She hadn't even returned to her living quarters after the fight. What few things of importance she possessed were not there, anyway. She either carried them on her person, or had them stashed in a secret hiding place. That's where she'd gone, taking great care that she wasn't followed, checking the area thoroughly for any hint of an ambush before retrieving her belongings. And then she'd made her way to the palace, formulating her plan on the way.   
  
Getting taken on as a servant had been easy. They were always looking for new ones to replace those who fell victim to intrigue, or left of their own accord. The hard part had been to curb her temper, to act meek and submissive, and not arouse too much suspicion. She had kept her mouth shut and her eyes and ears open, and soon knew enough to plan her next step.  
  
A little flattery here, a tiny slight there, being friendly with some of the wrong people while not sucking up enough to the right ones, was enough to set the scene. One carefully calculated insult, disguised as an offhand remark, and she was given the position of bath attendant to the King of Hell as her punishment. It had been almost too easy. But then, she had always known that the real challenge would be the next step: impressing Lucifer with her skill, enough that he would value her and let that fact be known.   
  
Well, she had certainly managed that. Despite the fact that someone had tried to sabotage her, removing the stepping stool she had placed in the bathroom, while she had been busy with other preparations. She would have to take care of that in the morning. It shouldn't be difficult, the list of suspects was short.   
  
The incident did make Mazikeen grateful that she had chosen to bring her own soap to use, instead of going with the usual stuff that lay ready in the bathroom. Who knew what nasty surprises someone might have put in that. The possibilities were nearly endless, ranging from harmless irritants or dyes to deadly poisons. It was the main reason why she went to the trouble of making her own soap in the first place. Bitter experience had taught her the dangers that could lie waiting in seemingly harmless everyday items.  
  
Lucifer shifted in his sleep, and Mazikeen froze, tensing up again as she waited to see if he would wake up. But he didn't, merely turning towards her slightly and tightening his hold on her before settling down again. After a few moments, she relaxed and turned her thoughts to the being beside her.  
  
He was different from what she had expected, from the picture of him she had formed in her head in the last weeks, based on servants' gossip, rumors, and the few short glimpses she had caught of him while going about her duties. And as she had told him, all the differences were good.   
  
The biggest, most important difference between her expectations and reality had been Lucifer's demand that she drop the servant act and be herself. Mazikeen hated having to pretend to be meek and submissive. It simply wasn't in her nature. The order to stop doing so had been a great relief to her, though she still held back, trying to figure out how far she could go. So far, Lucifer had let her get away with a surprising amount of insolence, but she was certain that he would not tolerate open disrespect.  
  
Thankfully, for the first time ever, Mazikeen felt that here was someone she actually could respect. Even in the short time they had spent together so far, he had treated her better, fairer, than anybody she had ever encountered in her life. Frankly, he had managed to impress her.  
  
His reactions to her ministrations had not come as a surprise to Mazikeen. As perhaps the most skillful torturer in existence, she knew not only the narrow line between pleasure and pain, but also the often blurry lines between different types of pleasure. She had set out to make the act of having his wings cleaned as pleasant as possible for Lucifer, to give him as much physical pleasure as she could. There had always been a risk that it would spill over into sexual pleasure, and it had been a risk she had accepted.   
  
She had underestimated the strength of his reactions, though. His orgasm had caught her by surprise. That had most definitely not been part of her plan. It was far too risky. Causing the King of Hell to lose control like that could very easily have backfired. Especially since she had managed to make him lose consciousness, to become completely helpless, unable even to stay upright on his own.  
  
By the time he became aware again, Mazikeen had half convinced herself that he would kill her for what she had done. But he hadn't. Instead, Lucifer had actually thanked her, and called her 'my dear'.   
  
And then he had told her to call him by his name. It was a high honor, and - as far as Mazikeen knew - a completely unprecedented privilege. No other demon was allowed to simply use the King's name when addressing him, without any title or honorific. Even the Dukes of Hell always called the Devil 'Lord Lucifer' or 'Lord Morningstar'. And she was simply a servant.  
  
Well, not anymore. With their deal, Lucifer now clearly saw her as something more. His trusted companion. His confidante. She wondered what exactly that would mean. Whatever it was, she doubted that it would be worse than being a servant, so it was definitely a win for her.  
  
It would almost certainly mean spending more time with Lucifer. And definitely more sex with him. The latter was a welcome thought indeed.  
  
Those were the other two big surprises: his desire for her, and her own reactions to him.  
  
Every demon in Hell knew that their King was most emphatically not interested in sex with any of his subjects. He had made that clear early in his reign, to the point that most demons believed he did not have any sexual desires at all. After signing up as a servant in his household, Mazikeen had quickly learned that this, at least, was not true. One of her first duties had been to assist the demon in charge of the Devil's laundry, and the woman had been a font of interesting gossip and information. And among them had been the little-known fact that there was regular evidence that their King indulged in self-gratification in the privacy of his bedroom. She wondered briefly if Lucifer realized that his servants knew about that. Surely he had to know. Most likely he didn't care.   
  
A groan threatened to escape her when she realized that by now, the other servants would also know that something had happened between her and their Lord. The fact that she had not returned from her duties in the bathroom, and instead had disappeared without a trace, would have spread like wildfire throughout the palace. Slowly, her lips curved into a smirk as she imagined the rumors and speculations that must be flying through the halls and rooms right now. She doubted that any of them would come anywhere near the truth.  
  
Of course, as soon as the laundry ended up downstairs tomorrow, certain facts about tonight's events would become known. And wouldn't that be a shock to all of them! Mazikeen knew with absolute certainty that the news about Lucifer taking a lover would spread far and wide throughout the infernal realm, though she expected that the specific identity of that lover would soon be lost among gossip and supposition.   
  
The big power players in Hell would know, of course. They all had their spies in the palace, their informers among the servants. She wondered how soon Garux and his father would hear about it, and what their reaction would be. A malicious smile spread across her face as she pictured their impotent fury.  
  
Mazikeen briefly wondered if she should tell Lucifer about it, and warn him that bestowing his favor on her would gain him a powerful enemy. But she quickly dismissed the thought. The Duke was already well known for his animosity towards their King. There was no need to warn Lucifer about him. No, telling him about it now - without him asking specifically - had no benefits, and carried some risks. It might cause him to entertain doubts about her motives for entering into his service, and worse, for agreeing to his deal. And that was the last thing she wanted.  
  
Because, much to her own surprise, Mazikeen didn't just respect her Lord. She had found herself liking him. There was something about Lucifer that drew her to him, a connection, a feeling of something that she didn't know how to define. He and she, they were right together.  
  
There was also this instinctive sense of awareness she had of him. It had been there from the moment he first entered the bathroom. And then, when she touched him for the first time, a sort of electric shock had run through her and stayed, igniting something deep within her. Even now, as she concentrated on it, she could feel it.  
  
Those were not the only feelings Lucifer had caused in her, though. There was also a purely physical attraction, a carnal desire she had never felt before. As she was washing his body, Mazikeen had found herself fighting the urge to touch him more than necessary, to let her ministrations linger on certain parts of him. When she noticed the first spark of desire in his eyes - desire for her in particular, not just for any source of sexual release - it had been a very welcome surprise.  
  
And then he had shocked her completely by refusing to simply take what he wanted. He, Lucifer Morningstar, King of Hell, had very obviously desired her, lusted after her, and yet he had refused to take what by all rights belonged to him. As absolute ruler of this infernal realm, he literally had the power of life and death over his subjects. He could destroy them utterly, for any reason, or no reason at all.   
  
And yet, he had denied himself what he wanted. He, whose very essence was defined by desire. Mazikeen still had trouble believing it, even though she had witnessed it herself. No creature she had ever encountered would have done the same, had they been in his position.   
  
She thought she understood why he had done it, though. Why he had asked for her consent, more than that, insisted that she choose, freely and without any ulterior motives. Free will. He wanted her to have free will.    
  
If certain rumors about his fall were true, Lucifer's desire for free will had been the cause of it. At any rate, there were so many stories that mentioned the concept in connection with him that Mazikeen was willing to assume it was important to him. Her own understanding of it was cobbled together from various explanations and interpretations she had heard over the years. If she had gotten it right, then she could certainly see the appeal.  
  
Still, the fact that he had been willing to deny himself something he wanted, just so she could make a choice she had neither asked for, nor expected to be given, was almost unfathomable to her. Wanting free will for oneself was one thing. Wanting others to have it, even if it was to your own detriment, was another matter entirely.   
  
But that was exactly what Lucifer had done. He had valued her right to choose what happened to her more highly than his own desires. Nobody had ever done that before. Nobody had ever even asked what she wanted, never mind taking it into consideration when deciding her fate.   
  
Mazikeen carefully lifted her head and studied the sleeping figure beside her. He was so different from all the stories, the rumors about him. That mythical Lucifer was cold, disdainful, callous and cruel, completely egotistical. The reality was very different. Oh, she was certain that this Lucifer could be all of those things. But he was so much more than that. He had shown her respect, and kindness, something nobody else had ever done. For that, he deserved more than her loyalty.  
  
He had asked her to be herself around him, and so far, he had not judged or criticized her for how she was. She would do the same for him. She would put aside her preconceived notions about him, about who and what he was, and instead try to get to know the real Lucifer. And she would accept him the way he was, the good qualities and the bad.  
  
A familiar determination filled her. She was going to be the best companion and confidante anyone had ever seen, and whatever else he needed her to be. Bath attendant. Wing groomer. Lover. A smile flitted across her face at that last thought. He had clearly enjoyed her ministrations, and in return he had given her more pleasure than she had ever experienced in her life. She couldn't wait for the next time.   
  
Mazikeen's smile turned thoughtful. What he had said about his siblings had surprised her. She had heard of course that life in the Silver City was not the perfect paradise most humans expected when they thought of Heaven. Her mother Lilith had always taken pleasure in any tales of the intrigues, power struggles, and everyday petty cruelties that went on up there among the angelic hosts. But somehow, despite growing up with those tales, she had always assumed that the angels cared for one another, deep down. After all, that's what a family was supposed to do, wasn't it? Not that there was any trace of caring among the members of her own family, but then, they were demons.   
  
But Lucifer's remarks indicated that her assumption had been wrong. And that meant nobody had ever cared about him, had ever worried about his comfort. The thought disturbed her in a way she couldn't explain. This man, who had already given her so much more than the protection she sought, deserved better than that. Perhaps...   
  
Mazikeen froze as she realized where her thoughts were leading her. She was a demon. Demons didn't care for others. The only things that mattered to them were survival, and their own wants and needs. Not those of others.  
  
But did she really want to be just like the other demons? Like the creatures that Lucifer held in disdain, and that she herself despised often enough? No. No, she did not want to be like them. She was better than that.  
  
Could she really care for another being, though? And not just any being, but him, an angel? Like all her siblings, Mazikeen had been raised to hate and despise angels. Her mother had constantly drummed it into her children that angels were arrogant, selfish, callous and cruel, and completely untrustworthy. And that made them worse than demons, because while demons were all those things too, at least they didn't claim to be the epitomes of goodness, virtue, justice and righteousness.  
  
But Lucifer was different. He had rebelled against his father, against what it meant to be an angel. And he had been punished for it, thrown out of Heaven, condemned to Hell for all eternity. Shunned by his whole family, hated and vilified by all. Just like she had been banished by her mother, abandoned and left to her fate by her own family. Perhaps they were more alike than different.  
  
She looked at his face, studying the scarred features. He'd had it worse than her, though. Her demonic features were simply her own, not a result of suffering the wrath of a parent. How horrible must it be to have someone who was supposed to care about you do that to you?  
  
Before she could stop herself, Mazikeen raised her hand and ran her fingertips lightly over his forehead and temple, only to snatch her hand away quickly when Lucifer stirred. His brows drew together in a frown and he turned his head in a searching way, though his eyes remained closed.  Mazikeen lay her head back down on his shoulder, and Lucifer reacted to the renewed contact. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, burying his nose in her hair with a contented hum.  
  
Warmth flooded through Mazikeen, unlike anything she had ever felt before. Strange, intense, inexplicable warmth. Startling, but not unpleasant. No, most definitely not unpleasant.   
  
As Lucifer settled down again, she lay there and tried to figure out the meaning of what had just happened. Only one thing was certain. He wanted her here. Even asleep, unconscious, vulnerable, Lucifer wanted to touch her, and took pleasure in having her in his arms. How could she not care for him, if he did something like that?  
  
She might not know what this thing between them was or would turn out to be, but that didn't matter. It was already better than anything she had ever experienced before. She would do whatever it took to keep it, and she would fight anyone who tried to take it away from her.   
  
That strange, inexplicable warmth still filling her, Mazikeen closed her eyes and finally drifted off to sleep, held safely in the Devil's embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> My deepest thanks to PixelByPixel and autumnstar, who helped me get over a major freakout, and gave me lots of great feedback.


End file.
